


A Single Moment

by HollyWoodFix



Category: One Piece
Genre: Abuse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Background Relationships, But not really they are basically adults, F/M, Homophobic Language, Humiliation, I try to keep their personalities similar but there will be some OOC behaviour, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Potential Minor Character Death, Slow Build, Slow to update…but hopefully not too slow, Underage Sex, Violence, Work In Progress, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2018-08-22 16:57:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 115,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8293223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HollyWoodFix/pseuds/HollyWoodFix
Summary: A single moment can change your entire life…a fact that Sanji learns in his final year of high school. 
A series of events occur after going into his first heat in the middle of class, now he is faced with impossible decisions that he never imagined he would ever have to make. And it was all thanks to that green-haired idiot!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story on this site, so please be gentle! This is also my first attempt at an alpha/beta/omega story, so I hope I don't butcher it. I of course put my own spin on it, as I think all writers do, but I tried to keep some of the basic mechanics there.
> 
> I was originally going to write this story in another fandom, but some how One Piece just seemed to fit better. 
> 
> And even though I tried to be as detailed in the tags and what not, I figure I might as well warn you here anyway. This will be yaoi, not to mention mpreg, so if that's not your thing, than turn back now! There are also the most minor of spoilers regarding certain characters…obviously this is an AU, so nothing in here has actually happened in the manga…but still, I mention certain characters that you might not know about unless you are caught up on the manga so yeah, if you don't want to know, than you've been warned.
> 
> I also mentioned that this has not been beta'd…and despite my best efforts to proofread this myself, a few mistakes are bound to get through. I apologize for that. And if you want to tell me about any major mistakes in a constructive, polite way, then I am all ears. But if you are going to be a super anal know it all, and try to crucify me because I made a small grammar error once or twice, than please keep that opinion to yourself. I have posted works on other sites and there is nothing more annoying than comments like 'I loved your story, but you used 'your' instead of 'you're' once and it like totally took me out of the moment'. I hope I'm not coming off as whiny, but it does get old quick.
> 
> Any who, with all that rambling out of the way, here is the first chapter. Please enjoy!

Every inch of his skin felt hot, as if his entire body was engulfed in flames. He could feel sweat pouring down his skin, causing his clothes to cling to him uncomfortably. And the pain, the pain caused his knees to buckle, no longer able to hold up his own body, as he slid to the floor. It was all too much. 

And to think, it all came on so suddenly. Mere minutes ago he had been sitting at his desk, mentally planning ways he could show his love for his precious Nami-swan, and now here he was, in agony on the bathroom floor.

Why was this happening to him? What did he do to deserve this? Was God punishing him for something? What could he possibly have done that was so wrong?

He never would’ve imagined in a million years that he would’ve ended up as an omega, of all things. It just didn’t make sense…he was a man, and a fairly strong one at that. He may not have been as tall, or as built as some others, but he could still hold his own in a fight, and would never back down from a challenge. He was hardworking and fiercely loyal to those he cared about. All of these were traits of a true alpha, which was exactly what he had been groomed his whole life to be.

But for things to turn out like this…it must’ve been some sort of sick joke. His three brothers would always tease him about ending up an omega, despite how absolutely rare and unlikely it truly was. Even though they were quadruplets, his brothers had all presented already, all of them being alphas. 

He could only imagine the snide looks on their stupid identical faces when they found out they were right…and they would definitely find out. It wasn’t like he could hide it from anyone. His brothers, and father were alphas and had the heightened sense of smell that all alphas had, meaning that they would probably be able to smell his omega stench from miles away. Well maybe not quite…having just presented himself he couldn’t say he knew personally how this whole biological hierarchy thing worked yet, all he had to go on was what they had taught in school, and what his father and siblings had told him. But still, nothing could’ve prepared him for this. 

He could feel tears sting his eyes, as his body continued to burn. A heat had begun pooling in his stomach, causing him to shudder as his length gave a painful throb. What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to make this stop? And how was he supposed to do anything when he was still at school?

He raised one of his shaking hands, hesitantly placing it on the hard bulge between his legs, nearly hissing at how extremely sensitive it was. Every soft stroke sent a shockwave of sensation throughout his body. 

He knew logically that this wouldn’t help much. Despite believing that one-day he would become an alpha, he always paid close attention in health class, wanting to know everything there was about betas and omegas as well, because one day he believed he would end up with a beautiful girl, who would either be a beta or an omega, and he wanted to be completely familiar with what she would go through so he could properly take care of her. 

So he knew pleasuring himself this way wouldn’t take away the pain, the urge, but at this point he was desperate, and would do almost anything to take the edge off. He gave his throbbing length a few more strokes before he came, crying out in pain, his body receiving absolutely no relief. 

“Shit,” he panted, already feeling his member hardening once again. Just like he thought, that did absolutely nothing to help his situation…there were only three options an omega had when going through their heat. 

One was an expensive hormone supplement that was rumored to take away most, if not all, side effects that came along with heat. He obviously never considered looking into that option because there was such a low chance he would actually become an omega (less than 5% of males ended up being omegas)…but even if he did consider that option, it wasn’t like he could afford them on his own, and he would rather die than go to his father and ask him for the money for this…maybe his sister, who was also an omega may share some of her supplements…he could almost laugh at the thought. Of course she would share them, but it would cost him. She would likely blackmail him and hold it over his head for as long as she got amusement from it, and once she was bored, she would go straight to their father and tell him everything. No, there was no way he could go to his sister…

The second option was to grit his teeth and bare it. But the more his body burned, the more he believed that it just wasn’t possible. Maybe for one or two heats someone may be able to suffer through it, but there was no way anyone, man or woman, could take 5-7 days of this every three months, for the rest of their lives. He had only been suffering through it for 10 minutes, and he could already feel himself falling apart. 

The third and final option was…well he didn’t really want to think about the final option. It was the last thing he would ever want for himself, yet if neither of the first two options were possible, he would have to face the reality that it would one day happen…the thought made him slightly nauseous, and he couldn’t stop as a few choked sobs left his lips.

He tried to stay positive, and remind himself that there was still a chance he could end up with the beautiful wife he always dreamed of. Sure he could no longer be with an omega woman, which ruled out about 50% of the female population, but there was still a chance he could find a strong, understanding, female beta, or even less likely, a female alpha. 

Female alphas were about as common as male omegas, meaning there were very few of them. But they weren’t unheard of, so there was always the smallest glimmer of hope. Not that any of that helped him with his current situation…the chances of a female alpha walking through that bathroom door and taking away his urge was almost laughable. 

He was out of options at this point, so he decided to swallow his pride and call his father. There might not be anything he could do to help him in this situation, and it might be embarrassing as hell to face him, but at least he could maybe take him home, where he could go to bed and curl up in a ball and try to survive the next few days.

He reached into his pocket, only for his eyes to widen in horror when he realized that his phone was nowhere to be found. He desperately began patting down every inch of his pants and jacket, hoping by some miracle that he simply misplaced it, but knew before he even started that his search would come up empty. 

He groaned, wanting to smash his head against the wall for being such a fool. He had decided last week to keep his phone in his locker from now on, getting sick of being lectured by teachers every time he would attempt to check it in class. Why?! Why did he have to decide to be such a perfect student now?!

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his shaken nerves, but his mind and thoughts only got more frenzied. He felt like his very soul was slowly, and painfully, being ripped apart. In a panic he tried to get to his feet, so that maybe he could flag down a teacher for help, but his whole body was shaking, and his knees instantly gave out, causing him to crash down to the floor once again. 

Just as he was about to accept his fate, and curl into the fetal position to try and subside the pain, he heard the handle of the door begin to turn.

He completely froze, a sense of fear taking over him. He couldn’t believe he forgot to lock the door…now some other student was going to see him like this. They were going to see how weak and pathetic he truly was…and depending on whether they had already experienced the change, then they would instantly know just what he was. He briefly hoped that maybe it was another omega, but quickly shook that thought away. This was the boys washroom…and the chances of there being another male omega at this school, let alone them being the one about to open the door, was pretty slim. 

He took a few more deep breaths, trying everything within his power to compose himself. He even managed to get to his feet successfully this time, though his legs were still shaking and he had to hold on to the nearby by sink for support. 

The door finally cracked open, and before he could even see who it was, he smelt who it was. Whenever some one older told him about the different pheromones, and scents, one experienced after the change, he almost didn’t believe them. But there was definitely no denying it now. The scent was so overwhelming, and the effects of it seemed to spread to every part of his body.

He realized with horror as an unfamiliar wetness began to form between his cheeks. He felt disgusted with himself, as his body began to betray him, as it began to ache with need. A need for the person on the other side of that door…a need for an alpha. 

And just when he thought that things couldn’t possibly get any worse, the last person in the world that he would ever want to see walked through that door. Proving once and for all that God truly did hate him.

“Are you alright curly-brow?” 

…

10 Minutes Earlier 

_Why did they even bother teaching us history?_ Zoro internally sighed, doodling yet another sword on what were meant to be his class notes. _It’s not like your going to go for a job interview one day and the deciding factor on whether or not your hired is whether you can name the first ten presidents or not_ …The whole thing just seemed ridiculous to him. 

He was about to take his traditional third period nap, when a strange scent suddenly erupted in the air. The smell was so potent that he couldn’t help but shiver, and he had to use ever ounce of his self-control to remain seated and calm. 

He had trained himself for this for the last three months, ever since he awakened as an alpha, knowing it was only a matter of time before he was faced with this situation. How could he not? This was a high school after all, and it was only a matter of time before every student reached that moment of maturity and presented as an alpha, beta, or omega. 

Alphas, such as himself, were deemed the dominant ones in the biological hierarchy, though he personally never really believed that was true. He truly believed that everybody was born equal, and it was who you were that determined your place in society, and not some stupid biological disposition that nobody had control over. Unfortunately, his way of thinking made him a minority in a society that was so set in their ways, that he couldn’t imagine anything ever changing. 

The thought made him sad, knowing how much that omegas had to struggle and deal with. It wasn’t so bad for betas, who were kind of neutral on the biological hierarchy. They weren’t expected to be powerful and fierce like the alphas, nor were they expected to be weak and submissive like the omegas. In fact, the betas probably had it easier than anyone else. Not only did they not have the same pressures and roles enforced on them by society, but they also experienced very few biological changes, unlike the other two groups. Their sense of smells did heighten slightly, and more often than not they were able to distinguish between alphas, betas, and omegas, but the scents didn’t have the same effects on them, and didn’t drive their instincts wild…nor did a betas scent trigger any animalistic instinct within alphas or omegas. Betas also experienced a much ‘tamer’ heat…apparently it wasn’t even much of a heat at all. They would experience a period of heightened arousal, but according to what he has heard it wasn’t much stronger than the average teenagers normal sex drive. 

Because of this, betas usually ended up pairing up with each other. Alphas and omegas were drawn together by instinct, and it was rare to see a beta end up with one of them, though it was known to happen. If the feelings were strong enough, it seemed an alpha or omega could suppress instinct and find happiness with a beta. 

The changes an alpha experienced when they presented and went into their first rut was a little more significant. Their bodies would get slightly hot, and they would usually get quite aggressive and irritable. They would experience, what Zoro dubbed as, ‘extreme horniness’, and though it was hard at times (no pun intended) it was able to be controlled fairly easily through frequent trips to ‘the shower’. It could be annoying, but he knew it was nothing compared to what the poor omegas went through… 

Other than the aggression and arousal, their senses of smell also heightened tremendously, and they could instantly pinpoint any alpha, beta, or omega in the room. And once an alpha caught the scent of an omega, especially one in heat, it became a battle to control ones instincts. It wasn’t so bad once an omega had been marked by another alpha, their scent would instantly become less appealing to other alphas (though its appeal never truly went away), and they could be more easily ignored. 

The problem with being in high school was that they were all still so young, so the chances were that if you had already presented, you hadn’t been claimed yet, so every omega still drew in alphas like moths to a flame…Thankfully though, only a fraction of the student body had presented, and there were strict systems in place to keep the omegas safe. 

Omegas had a harder time than anyone when they experienced their first heat, unless they were insanely rich and could afford those expensive supplements… he knew first hand how horrible it could be, his older sister Kuina had been an omega, and he knew how much she would suffer every three months. Apparently the pain was all but unbearable, and most days she couldn’t even leave bed. 

Their father had urged her to seek a mate, hating to see her suffer, but Kuina had been stubborn, and refused to let the fact that she had been born a girl, and an omega, defeat her. She was determined to prove that she could deal with it on her own, and that she didn’t need an alpha, or any man, to help her through it. 

But unfortunately, it was that attitude that made her careless, and in the end…well he really didn’t want to think about it. Every time he thought about his sister, and what happened to her, his blood would begin to boil, and he really didn’t want to make a scene in the middle of class. 

His thoughts seemed to fade away as another wave of scent washed over him. He looked up from his book curiously, trying hard not to make it obvious what he was doing. He zeroed in on the area of the classroom that the scent was originating from, and it didn’t take long for him to locate the new omega. 

His eyes widened, and he nearly choked as he inhaled sharply, not quite able to believe his eyes. The omega that had just went into heat wasn’t a random girl in his class, but rather that idiot blonde with the messed up eyebrows that always seemed to find a way to annoy the shit out of him. 

He was cocky, loud, and so full of himself…sure those same words could be used to describe him, and some of his closest friends, but that wasn’t the point. There was just something about the blonde that rubbed him the wrong way; he just couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. 

Maybe it was the way he acted like a complete idiot around anyone with a set of tits…or maybe it was the way that he couldn’t seem to pass up the opportunity to start a fight with him every chance he got. 

Either way, that wasn’t the issue right now. He could almost laugh at the irony of the ladies man ending up being a rare male omega, but instantly pushed that thought away, and felt guilty for even letting it enter his mind. After what happened to his sister, he would never make fun of an omega, not even if it was the curly-browed idiot. 

He could see that the blonde’s body had begun to shake, that his skin began to glisten with sweat, and the look on his face was one of pure horror. He promised himself he would never pity, or look down on someone just because they were an omega, but right now he couldn’t help it as his heart began to break for the other boy. 

Sanji asked to be excused, and Zoro couldn’t believe as the teacher nodded his head ‘yes’, barely giving him a second glance. Did he not realize what was going on? Did he not care? 

Teachers were supposed to escort students that went into heat in class to the nurse’s office, where a trained professional could monitor them until a parent or guardian was able to pick them up. Yet their teacher didn’t even seem to notice! 

Sure he was a beta, that much Zoro could tell, and betas senses weren’t as keen…not to mention he was fairly old, and the older one got the more their senses lessened…but still! Even if he couldn’t smell it, he should be able to see it! 

What if something happened to Sanji now because of this balding, oblivious idiot? He wasn’t sure why he even seemed to care, but there was some force inside of him that was urging him to do something, that he just couldn’t sit back and do nothing as the blonde suffered. 

He got up and asked to be excused himself, receiving the same uninterested nod from the man as the blonde did, before he quickly followed the scent. He was hoping that the other boy would’ve gone to the nurse’s office himself, but was disappointed to see that he had ended up in a random washroom. 

On a positive note, there didn’t seem to be any other alphas nearby, which meant that his scent hadn’t attracted any unwanted company. 

He placed his hand on the handle of the door, preparing to open it when he froze…what was he doing? He already knew that he was probably the last person that Sanji would want to see, and that if he was a decent human being, like he claimed to be, than the right thing to do would be to go fetch the nurse, or any teacher for that matter…but something stopped him from doing so. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but it was almost as if something was calling him forward, as if Sanji himself was begging him to open that door. 

Without even realizing it, he had already begun to twist the handle, and before he could second guess himself and change his mind, the door was already open, and that overwhelming scent was washing over him once again. 

His sight instantly locked on to the trembling blonde, and it took every bit of self-restraint that he had to stay where he was, and to not make any rash or sudden movements. 

“Are you alright curly brow?” He blurted out without thinking, already knowing the answer. And the look he received in response caused him to quickly regret his decision to enter the bathroom…what had he gotten himself into? 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the wonderful response! I was pretty nervous about posting my first story here, but you guys were all wonderful! 
> 
> I'll try to explain more about my omergaverse as the story goes on, but feel free to ask me any questions, and I'll be happy to answer. Someone did ask about the breakdown of percentages of each of the 'alpha, beta, and omega' classes, which I did answer, but I figured I would also put it up here just incase you didn't read the comments and that you were curious.
> 
> So I wanted to make male omegas a rare thing, unlike most other omegaverse stories that I've read. Just because I wanted it to be an extra big deal when Sanji presented as one, not to mention when I introduce the mpreg thing, I didn't want every other male character having the potential to get pregnant as well, again because it wouldn't make it as big of a deal when it happens…so any who, the breakdown is as follows:
> 
> Males: 50% beta, 45% alpha, and only 5% omega  
> Females: 50% beta, 45% omega, and only 5% alpha
> 
> Making is so the total population is roughly 50% beta, 25% alpha, and 25% omega.
> 
> Let me know if there is anything else you are curious about, and please enjoy this next chapter!

“Are you alright curly brow?” Zoro asked, quickly regretting the question when he received a look that made him freeze in his tracks. 

“Do I look alright shit head!?” Sanji snapped, his emotions betraying him despite his best efforts to remain calm and collected. He didn’t want to embarrass himself anymore than he already had, and the last thing he wanted was to appear weak or unstable in front of the other boy, but it appeared his body had other ideas.

His legs gave out from underneath him, and if it wasn’t for the tight hold he had on one of the sinks, he would’ve went crashing to the ground.

Zoro instinctively took a step forward, reaching out a hand to the blonde, when a strong wave of his scent washed over him, causing him to freeze in his tracks once more. It wasn’t as if this was the first time he had caught the scent of an omega in heat, but this was the first time he had been in such close quarters with one, and the fact that they were alone made the whole thing that much worse.

The scent was overwhelming, and even with all his training in self-control; he could feel his animal instincts stirring within him. A heat was pooling in his belly, and he could already feel himself begin to harden from the scent alone. He was slightly embarrassed by that fact, but knew it was beyond his control. 

“Why did you follow me?” Sanji asked, finally being able to compose himself enough to speak. He was horrified by the situation, but wanted to attempt to maintain as much dignity as possible, though as his body continued to shake uncontrollably, he couldn’t help but think he was failing miserably.

“I wanted to make sure you were alright,” Zoro answered hesitantly, taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. But the more he inhaled that enticing scent, the more worked up he became. He shuddered to think what would happen if he were in rut himself, and just thanked God that his self-control was holding. He would not end up like them…he would never do to someone what they had done to her…

“And instead of getting the nurse, or some other teacher, you figured the best course of action was to follow me in here unsupervised?” Sanji asked, the annoyance evident in his voice. “Christ Zoro! We’re not even friends! Why did you think this was even your problem!?”

“I don’t know!” Zoro snapped back, feeling his own annoyance begin to rise, quickly remembering exactly why he and the blonde weren’t friends in the first place. 

Even though the two of them had a few friends in common, the two could never get along, no matter how many times they had tried for the sake of the others. The two would always end up fighting either verbally, or physically, within minutes of being in the same room with each other. And it seems now was no exception…

“I was concerned I guess…” Zoro sighed, quickly adding, “but I have no idea why.” So that Sanji didn’t get the wrong idea.

“How very sweet Marimo,” the blonde’s words were dripping with sarcasm, causing Zoro’s eye to twitch in irritation, “but I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine…”

“I’m aware of that mosshead,” Sanji hissed, feeling what little composure he had fading away. “But even if I need help, you’re the last person I would want it from!”

“What are you going to do then?” Zoro asked, trying his best to pretend he didn’t notice as Sanji lowered himself to the floor, no longer able to support his own body weight. 

“I just need a minute or two, then I’ll figure something out.” Sanji replied, but had no idea what that would be. A part of him was screaming to accept Zoro’s help, to ask him to fetch the nurse for him or something, but despite how hopeless he felt, his pride refused to allow that to happen. He refused to admit he needed help and risk appearing weak in the other boy’s eyes. 

But the more he thought about it, the more he began to realize he might not have a choice…he couldn’t call for help with out his cell phone…he wasn’t sure he would even be able to stand again, let alone be able to walk to find help…and the chances of a teacher walking in was next to nothing, considering they had far nicer staff restrooms…the only thing that could possibly happen would be for another male student to walk in, and then he would be embarrassed all over again when they too saw the state he was in. 

He really only had one choice, and he truly hated himself for what he was about to do, but if he wanted to avoid being seen by anybody else, this really was his only option.

“Fine…” Sanji sighed after a minute. “I guess if you really wanted to, you could help me to the nurses or something…not that I actually need the help. I could definitely get there myself just fine, but seeing as you took the time to follow me in here to check on me…” Sanji trailed off, feeling his already hot face get just a little hotter. 

“Whatever you say curly-brow,” Zoro snorted, allowing the blonde to maintain some dignity by not bringing up the fact that he most certainly wasn’t fine, and that he would like to see him try getting up on his own.

He finally allowed himself to cross the room, and instantly knew it was a mistake. The scent became so much stronger that he could feel his control slowly begin to slip, and apparently he wasn’t the only one. What happened next was a bit of a blur because it happened so fast, but somehow he ended up on his back, with Sanji’s face buried in his neck, deeply inhaling his scent.

“Zoro…” Sanji moaned, not able control his own voice. And his voice wasn’t the only thing he wasn’t in control of. He had no idea what came over him, but when Zoro got closer, the scent was just too much, and before he could stop himself, he literally tackled the other boy to the ground, just so he could get closer to that enticing smell.

He knew that this was wrong, and that he would be both horrified and humiliated once he came back to his senses, but right now he could care less. All he could think about in that moment was what his body was demanding, what his body desired, what it so badly needed…and that was relief. Relief from the unbearable pain that was consuming him, the relief that only an alpha could possibly give him at this point.

“S-sanji,” Zoro finally stuttered out after a few moments, not quite able to believe what was happening. And what made matters worse was that his body was betraying him, and reacting to the blonde and his close proximity. He had already been semi hard before from his scent alone, but now with his body on top of his, he was standing at full attention.

“Z-zoro,” Sanji replied, once again not able to keep the moan from his voice. He felt that the other boy was just as hard as he was, which seemed to have the opposite effect that he always figured it would…instead of being revolted by the idea, it instead caused another intense sense of need to wash over him.

He could feel the slickness around his entrance increase, to the point where he could feel it begin running down his thighs. As gross as the feeling was, he could care less right now, as his body continued to demand the alpha below him.

He began licking and biting the neck of the other boy, the taste of his slightly sweaty skin was driving him wild. He ground his hips down instinctively, nearly losing himself as an intense wave of euphoria coursed through his entire body.

A small, rational voice, in the back of his head was telling him to stop, that this wasn’t right, that he and Zoro were rivals at best, and nothing more. That all his life he practically worshiped the ground women walked on, and that just because fate decided to play a cruel joke on him by making him an omega didn’t mean he had to give up on his dream of one day having a beautiful wife.

But in that moment, none of that seemed to matter. That small voice in the back of his mind was silenced, as another wave of pleasure coursed through him. 

He needed this…it felt like he never needed something so badly in his entire life. And considering he nearly starved to death as child, that was saying a lot. It literally felt like he would die if he tried to stop now.

Zoro on the other hand still had a little self-control lingering within him. He was sure it would be a different story if he was in rut himself, but right now he wasn’t, so therefore he had to be the sane one, and put an end to this before something happened that both of them would regret. 

“Sanji…Sanji, stop,” he struggled for a moment, but was finally able to push the other boy back, and get a look at his face for the first time since he was tackled to the ground. His face was still red, and gleaming with sweat, but there was something different about it as well…there was a look in his eyes, a look that he never thought he would see from the blonde, a look that sent any remaining blood in his body south…it was a look of pure lust.

“Zoro, please,” the blonde panted, attempting to bury his face in the older teens neck once again, only to be stopped as Zoro kept a tight hold on his shoulders, preventing him from moving. 

“We shouldn’t be doing this…” Zoro said, despite every natural instinct in his body telling him to shut up and give the blonde what he so obviously wanted. 

He wasn’t going to lie, the idea of taking Sanji right then and there wasn’t at all unappealing, and that wasn’t just his raging hormones talking either. Despite not being able to stand the blonde, he couldn’t deny that he was attractive, and that this wasn’t the first time he fantasized about a moment similar to this. He considered himself an equal opportunist, and never really cared about things like gender, which carried over into his sexuality. 

So yes, the idea of being with Sanji was more than a little tempting, but a part of him still held back. He knew what being in heat was like…it borderline turned you into another person, and he was only speaking from the experience of an alpha. He knew it was so much more intense for an omega, at least that was the impression he always got whenever it came to his sister’s heat…but this was proven all the more true given what Sanji was currently asking him to do. 

He knew the blonde enough to know exactly how strong, proud, and stubborn he was, so the fact that he was currently on top of him right now practically dry humping his leg, meant that the pain and intensity of the heat must have been unbearable. But as much as he wanted to help him (not to mention play out his own fantasy) he could only imagine what would happen afterwards. How much Sanji would regret it, and the shame he would likely feel. Sure he would be embarrassed about what happened either way, but he was sure with time the blonde would be able to move on…but if they were to go through with it, he doubted Sanji would ever get over the humiliation, and as much as he didn’t like the other boy, he couldn’t do that to him.

“You’re not thinking clearly right now. I know you don’t really want this.”

“You have no idea what I want!” Sanji tried to shout but was embarrassed when it came out as more of a cry. Zoro was right, and he knew he was right, but no matter how many times he told himself that, he couldn’t bring himself to get off the other boy. “Zoro…” He could feel tears beginning to sting his eyes, as the pain and desperation he felt continued to increase, “Please…you have no idea how this feels, I…please don’t make me beg.”

A single tear escaped the blonde’s exposed eye, causing something with in Zoro to snap. The look on Sanji’s face was devastating, and the desperation was clear in his eyes. Despite his earlier convictions and his remaining self-control, Zoro couldn’t stand it anymore. The blonde was in pain and needed him, and no matter how strong he was he couldn’t sit back and do nothing. 

He flipped them over so he was now the one on top, and shoved the last of his doubts and hesitations into the back of his mind. He gave the blonde a predatory grin as he finally allowed his animal instincts to take over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm cruel for ending it there, but I wanted to build up the anticipation haha. Don't worry, I've already completed the majority of the next chapter, so you should only have to wait maybe 2 or so days at most. Until then, thanks for reading, and I would love to hear what you thought XD


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the wonderful response! I appreciate every comment and kudos :) 
> 
> This chapter is a little on the short side, because originally it was suppose to be part of the previous chapter, but I decided to separate it. The next chapter will be longer to make up for it though.
> 
> Thanks again for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

Sanji bit his lip so hard that it began to bleed, trying desperately to hold back a scream. Despite his current predicament, he was still aware of the fact that they were currently in a school washroom, and didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention by vocalizing the pleasure that was currently coursing throughout his entire body.

It hurt…it hurt very badly in fact. He had been so desperate for it that he refused to allow Zoro to prepare him in anyway…not to mention how embarrassing that would’ve been. But considering he was currently on his hands and knees with his ass sticking up in the air, being pounded into by his rival, he supposed being fingered wouldn’t have been so bad. And now he was paying the price for that. But the pain he felt now was nothing compared to the pain he had been experiencing before because of his heat, and all he could think about was the relief and pleasure his body was currently experiencing. 

“Harder, please,” he moaned, pushing himself closer to the other boy. Zoro grunted in understanding, and began picking up the pace. Every thrust seemed to elicit a new sensation, and one thrust in particular caused a foreign feeling to erupt inside him.

“Fuck Marimo! Right there!” He cried, as an indescribable feeling continued to bubble up inside of him. He had masturbated a countless number of times of course, so he was aware of what an orgasm felt like, but the feeling he was currently experiencing was nothing compared to what he was use to.

As Zoro continued to pound into him, an explosion of pleasure washed over him, and he could no longer hold back as he cried out. His vision blurred for a moment, and he briefly thought he might loose consciousness as the feeling of relief continued to overwhelm him. He was so lost in his post orgasm bliss that he didn’t even register as Zoro grunted and came as well.

He had never felt anything like this before. His whole body was tingling, and the crippling pain and desperation he had felt were fading away. In that moment, he wondered if anything else could ever make him feel as good as he did in that moment. Not even cooking, his one true passion in life, ever gave him such a pure feeling of satisfaction.

But as soon as Zoro pulled out of him, a sort of empty feeling began to replace his bliss, and the reality of the situation finally came crashing down on him.

He had just had sex with another boy… 

Despite how desperate he was only moments ago, he couldn’t believe he had actually allowed himself to give in to his urges, and with Zoro of all people. The thought made him slightly nauseous and it took every ounce of his will power not to drag himself to the nearest cubicle to relieve the contents of his stomach.

“Are you okay, Sanji?” Zoro finally asked, seeing the blonde boys beat red face, turn a sickly pale.

“Don’t…”

“Don’t, what?” He asked confused and that’s when the reality of the situation finally hit him as well. What the hell had they done?

“You’ve never used my first name before…” Sanji murmured, “Don’t think you have any right to use it now.” He felt even more ridiculous saying it than he did thinking it, but much like earlier he didn’t seem to be in control of his actions. Was the heat still affecting him? Was it making him extra emotional?

“Sorry…” Zoro said after a few moments, feeling the tense mood that had overtaken the room. Normally he would’ve been ready with a snide remark, one involving the blonde’s first name, but there was something tugging at him, urging him to keep his mouth shut.

“Whatever,” Sanji snapped, quickly grabbing his pants beside him, all of a sudden hyper aware of the position he was still in. He had never felt so humiliated in his entire life…but as much as he wanted to sit there and mentally berate himself, and physically berate Zoro, he kept himself in check long enough to dress himself and get to his feet.

It was a weird feeling once he finally managed to stand, and he was unsure for a moment whether or not he would even be able to…but the burning pain he now felt in his backside was nothing compared to what he had experienced before. Right now all he felt was physical pain, and that he could deal with. Before, it was as if all the energy had been sucked out of him, along with the pain and desperation he had felt.

He wasn’t stupid, he knew this relief was only temporary, and it was only a matter of time before the ache returned. He wasn’t looking forward to it, in fact a small part of him hesitated leaving at all…but he quickly shook that foolish thought a way.

He had just done something he regretted, something he never dreamed in a million years that he would ever do. Something that no matter how much he wished it, he would never be able to take back. And now that he was briefly in his right mind (or as close as he could be in this situation), he knew what he had to do.

Zoro saw as the blonde begin to leave, a feeling of guilt flaring up inside of him as he saw a slight limp from the other boy. The moment his instincts betrayed him, and he decided he was going to give into Sanji’s urges, he had made a point to remain as gentle as he could. But the more desperate Sanji had become, the more he seemed to loose control completely…now it was obvious the blonde was paying the price for that.

“San-curly brow, wait,” Zoro corrected himself, remembering the younger boys earlier request. He felt like he should say something…anything…it was almost as if he could sense the other boys pain, his humiliation, his shame…and for some reason he desperately wanted to fix that, to some how make it all better. But once Sanji turned around, and he saw the unspoken tears shining in his eyes, he quickly shut his mouth, knowing that there was absolutely nothing he could do.

Sanji turned away from Zoro, finally reaching the door, after walking what seemed like miles. The pain he was experiencing was now radiating up his entire spine, and he wasn’t sure how he was even walking at all. But he kept his head held high, and opened the door, leaving the washroom with as much pride as he could muster.

It wasn’t until the door was closed behind him, and he was positive Zoro wasn’t following him, that he let the tears he had been holding back finally fall.

…

Zoro wasn’t sure how long he remained seated on the bathroom floor, completely lost in his thoughts, a feeling of guilt overwhelming him. 

He had promised himself that he would never do what they had done…that he would never give into his instincts like that. He had trained for months to be able to maintain control. And yet, here he was…

And sure Sanji had asked for it, something his sister never did, but was it really that different? He knew Sanji wasn’t in his right mind, he knew what his heat was doing to him, and he knew that under normal circumstances that Sanji would’ve never given his consent. 

“Oh God,” Zoro muttered, burying his face in his hands, feeling a wave of nausea begin to creep up. “Did I…did I just rape him?”

And in that moment, he felt like trash…he felt lower than trash. He felt like an absolute monster. He felt exactly like the men he tried so hard not to be like. He felt like the men that had raped his sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the smut was a little anti-climatic. I'm not the best smut writer, so I usually try and rush through it. I promise to work on it though, and try to make future smut scenes a little more enjoyable. 
> 
> And again, sorry for how short it is, but the next chapter will be quite a bit longer. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! I would love to know what you thought :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait! I've been super busy this month getting ready for my sisters wedding, which was last week. I'm back now and promise to devote more time to writing again. 
> 
> Thank you every one who commented or left a kudos, I appreciate it so much!

Sanji stopped in front of the gates of his family’s property, leaning up against one of the brick pillars, taking a few moments to catch his breath.

The walk home had been long…long and excruciating. Every step he took, he felt a shock wave of pain hit every cell in his body. Several time he considered giving up. He figured he might as well sit down and allow fate to take its course. After all, anything that could happen to him at that point couldn’t be any worse than everything else he had already experienced that day…right? 

He had already presented as an omega, which was such a rare thing for males, and if you had asked him before, he would probably say that that was the worst thing that could possibly happen to him. But then of course he had to go into heat in the middle of class, and not only did the pain of the heat defeat him, but he actually begged, _begged_ Zoro to take him. Zoro of all people! 

If he had to make a list of men he would go gay for (which was something he would never do in the first place) Roronoa Zoro would be the last person on that list. He wouldn’t even be considered for the list!

And yet, here he was, feeling pain radiating up his spine, and it was all because of him. 

Sanji sighed, shaking his head free of that train of thought. It wasn’t Zoro’s fault, as much as he would like to put all the blame on him. Sure the green-haired idiot shouldn’t have entered the bathroom in the first place, but in the end it was him who had jumped Zoro, it was him who begged for it, and it was him that ignored Zoro when he said that it was wrong and that he wasn’t in his right mind.

“Bastard…” Sanji muttered under his breath, feeling his hands subconsciously travel to his pocket, trying to find a pack of cigarettes he knew wouldn’t be there. It was a bad habit he had picked up earlier in the year, and it was something he was trying to cut back on so his father didn’t find out. Though at this point, his father finding out that he occasionally smoked was the least of his worries.

He and his father didn’t exactly have the best relationship; in fact, he didn’t exactly have the best relationship with any member of his family…not since his mother died anyway. He wasn’t sure when or how things got so bad, but at this point he didn’t really care. He had stopped trying years ago to fit in with them, knowing that it would just be useless anyway. 

All three of his brothers were all-star athletes, each one considered the best in their respective sports. His brother Ichiji was a football player, and quarterback on his team. His brother Niji was the best pitcher in the state, leading his baseball team to victory time and time again. And his brother Yonji was a soccer player who was rapidly making himself known as one of the best. They had all earned scholarships to the best private high schools in the city, a fact that was constantly rubbed in his face day after day. 

It wasn’t as if he hated sports…in fact he had earned a second degree black belt before he was even a teen…he just felt there was so much more to life, and found a completely different passion instead. And that passion had left him the center of countless ridicule. 

But despite all of that he had decided that he was going to pursue his dream no matter what, with or without his family’s support. And when he mustered up the courage to ask his father if he could be sent to a high school that specialized in the culinary arts, he was immediately enrolled in the cheapest public school his father could find.

He wasn’t really surprised, and probably should’ve expected that outcome in the first place. But his father’s attempts to defeat him ended up backfiring. Not only did the school actually have a fairly decent home economics program, but he also ended up making some of the best friends he could ask for. His punishment had quickly turned into a blessing…not that he was feeling particularly blessed in that moment.

He felt a heat begin pooling in his lower abdomen once again, and felt himself begin to heavily perspire. 

“Fuck!” He cursed, feeling the energy slowly drain out of him. He knew it was going to happen eventually, but a big part of him was hoping that fate would cut him a break and that the symptoms of his heat wouldn’t return until he confronted his family. God must really hate him after all…that was assuming there was one in the first place, and in that moment as he saw his father’s car pulling into the driveway, he was seriously beginning to question that. 

His first thought was to run, to hide somewhere until his heat was over, but when he tried to put that plan into motion, his legs decided to give up on him, and he went crashing to the ground. 

The fall hurt, and he would likely have a few scraps and bruises as a result, but that was really the least of his worries. He could smell the overwhelming scent of several alphas making their way toward him, and knew then that his brothers must have been in the car with his father. 

Of course they were! Because dealing with just his father would be too easy! This whole thing felt like a bad dream that was turning into the most horrific nightmare he has ever had. 

He desperately tried to get to his feet again, but only managed to stumble, landing back on his hands and knees. Before he could try again, his body froze in place out of instinct, sensing that he was no longer alone. A feeling of terror began to rise within him, one like which he had never experienced before in his life.

“Oh my God!” He heard his brother Niji howl, the sound of his cruel laughter causing a chill to rush down his spine. “I knew I smelled a bitch in heat, but I wasn’t expecting this!”

“I can’t believe you’re an omega!” His brother Yonji joined in, amusement clear in his voice. “I mean we always use to joke about it…especially when you didn’t present last month like the rest of us, but I still wasn’t expecting this, not even from you. I just assumed you would be some nothing beta.”

Sanji was dying to reply, but bit back any possible response. With the state he was in now, he didn’t think he could speak with out his voice shaking, and the last thing he wanted was to appear any weaker. 

“Not only did you end up being an omega, but you actually allowed yourself to be claimed,” it was his father who spoke this time, and Sanji could swear that he actually felt his heart stop.

He had been so focused on getting himself home, and then having to confront his family, that he completely forgot about the fact that alphas could smell when an omega had been claimed by another alpha. It was also in that moment that he realized that he had allowed himself to be claimed. 

He of course realized that Zoro, for the lack of a better word, had fucked him, but he had been so messed up at that point that he forgot to tell Zoro not to cum inside of him. An omega was officially claimed after an alpha came inside of them. Their scent would then linger on the omega for weeks, warning other alphas to stay away, and that that omega was theirs. This was a pretty series commitment between an alpha and omega, and more often then not lead to a bonding ceremony, were the two would officially be mated for life. Even though being claimed wasn’t quite as serious as being bonded, it was still a huge deal.

He couldn’t believe it was only occurring to him now the significance of what this all meant. Not only was he an omega…but now, at least for the time being, he was Zoro’s omega, his mate. He was connected to that green-haired idiot in one of the most intimate ways two people could be. At least until he allowed the scent to wear off or allowed himself to be taken by another alpha, but that thought only made the already nauseous feeling he had in his stomach even worse. 

This couldn’t be happening…it just couldn’t…

“Look! The little bitch is crying!” Ichji laughed, soon joined by his other brothers.

Sanji began gasping for air, finding it increasingly difficult to breath, as the gravity of the situation continued to overwhelm him. His lungs began to ache as he desperately tried to fill them, but it didn’t seem to be working. He could feel his heart begin to pound against his chest at an alarming speed, and had to fight back the overwhelming urge to throw up. He figured he must be dying, and for the briefest moment wished that he would. 

“I want the three of you to go inside.” Sanji managed to hear is father say, despite how cloudy his mind felt.

“But…” One of his brothers began to protest, but instantly shut his mouth. Sanji couldn’t see it, but he assumed they received the ‘look’ from their father. The look that never failed to strike fear into them…a look that all of them knew not to disobey.

His brother’s scents began to disperse as they left the area, which actually seemed to calm him down a bit. That unexplainable sense of terror faded a bit, though it didn’t disappear completely. His father was admitting a scent now, one that he couldn’t quite explain, that kept him frozen in place.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” His father finally said, breaking the long, tense silence that had hung in the air. He didn’t know how he would even begin to answer that, what could he possibly say? That he didn’t mean to? That it was an accident? “Answer me!” His father commanded, which caused a feeling in Sanji that he couldn’t explain. The smell from his father was even stronger now and he couldn’t stop himself as he began to speak.

“I’m sorry…I couldn’t help it…it hurt so bad.” His voice came out in a whimper, curling in on himself as the smell in the air got even more intense. Without even looking at his father he could sense his anger, his fury, and it was terrifying. 

“You couldn’t help it?! You couldn’t help it?! You are a Vinsmoke! Not even your omega sister would be so weak as to bend over like a whore and beg the first alpha who walked by to fuck her! At least she has some dignity! But you…you are a man! You are my son! HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!?”

“I’m…I’m…” Sanji began to cry, hating himself as the tears began flowing down his face. Everything hurt. His heat was now back in full force, and his skin felt like it was on fire. Not only that, but the emotional and mental weight of everything that had happened that day was weighing heavily on him. His father’s rage was only the cherry on top of the cake. And as a result he could feel himself begin to break.

“Pathetic,” his father growled, causing him to whimper and curl up again, trying to make himself small, invisible. He had never backed down from his father like this before, and he didn’t quite understand it, but there was something about that smell…something that terrified him. He assumed it has something to do with the biological hierarchy…in the end, everything seemed to come back to that.

“You’re not to set foot in the house again,” all the rage from his father’s voice was gone, replaced with a calm, cruel tone, one laced with disappointment. “At least not until I deem you worthy…” He added as an afterthought, before turning his back on his sobbing son, and walking away.

Once he was gone, Sanji let out a breath, one he hadn’t been aware he was holding. The lingering smell his father had left in the air began to disperse, and Sanji could finally feel himself begin to calm down. 

What the hell was that? Why was he so afraid? He had never felt such a hopeless and desperate feeling before…was this really because his father was an alpha and he was an omega? Or was it because of the fact that he was especially vulnerable right now because of his heat? Either way, it was yet another thing he could add to his list of shitty things about being an omega.

But as rattled as he was, he wasn’t particularly upset about being kicked out by his father. If he was being honest, he was almost relieved in away. He had wished he could leave home for years, but because he of his age, legally he was never able to. And the few times he tried to runaway as a child, his father would always track him down and drag him back kicking and screaming. So even though it was upsetting to be basically disowned because of this of all things…a big part of him was also happy. This meant that he could finally go home…home to the people he actually considered a family. 

“Fuck…” Sanji hissed, as his stomach cramped up painfully, causing him to double over, his body burning even more now than before. As badly as he wanted to curl up and wait for the pain to pass, he knew he couldn't do that, at least not yet. He took a few deep breaths, trying to muster the last of his strength as he got to his feet.

The big question now was…without his phone, how the hell was he suppose to make it across town to the Baratie? Home to his father, his real father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading. I hope you enjoyed and would love to know what you thought. Any suggestions? And questions? Let me know!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro after the 'bathroom incident'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you again for the lovely comments and anyone who left a kudos, I appreciate it all! And as such I didn't want to keep you waiting too long for another chapter.
> 
> Now initially this was going to be the first half of the chapter, and I was going to make this one extra long. But I'm having a little difficulty writing the second half and I didn't really want to keep you waiting too long, so I decided to just post this as its own chapter. Because of this it is a little on the shorter side, but hopefully something is better than nothing. I hope you enjoy!

Zoro wasn’t sure how long he had stayed in that bathroom. The guilt he felt consuming him, making him feel physically ill. It wasn’t until his friend, and fellow alpha, Luffy found him and snapped him back to reality that he moved. 

Everything after that was a bit of a blur, but some how he had made it home, where he had went straight to his room and refused to come out since. His father knocked on his door a few times, but he ignored it every time. His father was a beta, and getting on in years, so it was possible that he wouldn’t even be able to smell anything unusual on Zoro, but still…he was a coward and couldn’t muster up the courage to face him. How could he after what he’s done? After lowering him to the same level as those monsters? 

Zoro growled in frustration, punching his pillow so hard that it tore open and feathers went flying everywhere. He just couldn’t help playing the moment over and over in his head, and thinking about all the things he could’ve done differently…all the things he _should’ve_ done differently. 

He shouldn’t have followed Sanji out of class…he should’ve gotten a nurse or teacher the moment he realized he had ended up in a washroom…he should’ve kept his distance from Sanji…he shouldn’t have weakened and given in to his instincts. He had trained for months! And for what? To give into the first omega in heat that he encountered? Was he really that weak? Was he really that pathetic?

He growled again, looking for something else to hit in frustration, but had already destroyed his last pillow. He contemplated letting his anger out on other items in his room, but restrained himself, not wanting to burden his father by having to have all his bedroom furniture replaced.

 _So I can restrain myself when it comes to a desk chair, but not when it comes to the well being of another person?_ He snorted at the ridiculousness of it all, feeling even more pathetic than he had before. 

Luffy wouldn’t have been so weak…he couldn’t help but think of his friend and what he would’ve done in a similar situation. 

The small, lanky, raven-haired boy had presented at a fairly young age, being a full two years younger than Zoro was when he finally presented. Most people had been surprised by this, especially when the seemingly weak boy ended up being an alpha. But those who knew him best weren’t surprised. They knew how strong he was, how loyal, and how fiercely protective he was to those he considered his friends. It really wasn’t a shock at all. Luffy was a natural born leader, someone you couldn’t help but want to follow. And follow him they did. He was definitely considered the ‘pack leader’ of their little group, though he insisted on being called captain for some reason…

He might have been half a year younger than him, and physically smaller, but Zoro respected him, and would follow the slightly insane boy anywhere. Which was why he couldn’t help but wonder what Luffy would’ve done. He probably wouldn’t have thought it through enough to go get a nurse or teacher, that much he was sure of. Their ‘captain’ tended to act first and think later, so there was no doubt in his mind that he would’ve ended up in that washroom as well.

But instead of allowing himself to be tackled, allowing himself to be turned on, and allowing himself to give in to his inner alpha, he was positive that the other boy would’ve been able to calm Sanji down, pick him up, and carry him to the nurses office. Which was exactly what he wished he could’ve done…

The shame and guilt intensified as he remembered that Luffy was the one that had found him in the washroom afterwards…his father might not have been able to smell it on him, but there was no way the other young alpha had missed it. The idea that Luffy knew, and was likely disappointed in him, caused an ache in his chest. 

The list of people he had let down just kept growing, and he wasn’t sure how he was ever supposed to face the world again. He disappointed himself, his father, his sister, his best friend and leader, and worst of all he had disappointed Sanji.

The curly-browed idiot had been vulnerable, and instead of help him like a decent alpha…no, he didn’t like to put too much emphasis on these biological roles…it wasn’t about being a decent alpha, it was about being a decent human being, and that was something that he had failed at. He had failed Sanji.

He felt an overwhelming urge to go search for the other boy, to track him down some how and apologize. To let him know how sorry he was that he had entered that washroom, and that he had given in to his instincts, and that he allowed himself to claim…

His mind froze for just a moment, and he swore that his heart had stopped. He couldn’t have, could he? The whole incident was a bit of a blur but, the more he thought about it, the more he was sure. Not only did he take advantage of an omega in heat, the one moment where omegas were more vulnerable than everybody else, but he claimed him. He had actually claimed him!

That made the guilt he felt intensify tenfold, and he swore for a moment that he was going to be sick. 

Claiming was something that should only be done by two consenting, committed individuals who cared for each other. It was the first step two people usually took when they planned to bond with each other and mate for life. Sure, claiming didn’t last forever, and by the time Sanji’s next heat rolled around in three months or so, his scent will likely have faded to the point where another alpha wouldn’t hesitate to approach him…but still. For the next few months every alpha, omega, and even some betas will be able to smell Zoro on Sanji, and make the false assumption that Sanji was his…he had forced claimed him. Something only the lowest, most despicable alphas did to an omega. Just like they had done to his sister…

He could practically feel Sanji’s anger when he would come to the same realization as him…he would have to prepare himself for a few powerful kicks when the blonde returned to school next week. At least he hoped he returned. He knew that heats typically lasted 5-7 days for omegas, so theoretically he should be back by next Monday…but what if Sanji couldn’t face him? What if he was too ashamed about what happened to return? What if he broke like she had…what if he…no he wouldn’t. He refused to allow his mind to go there. Sanji was strong, he wouldn’t let something like this ruin him…but he had thought the same thing about her. 

She had been the strongest person that Zoro had ever known. She would never back down, and refused to allow biology to define her. She was a fierce swordswoman, and had defeated Zoro each and every time that he challenged her. She was his hero, his idol, his goal. Yet she had broken, she had been defeated…so what if the same thing happened to Sanji?

An overwhelming feeling began stirring inside Zoro, and before he could think things through fully, he was already leaving his room and running down the stairs. 

“I’m glad you finally came down, dinner will be ready soon. Zoro, where are you…” He had heard his father say, but he was already out the front door before he could finish. 

He couldn’t explain what or why, but something inside of him was urging him forward. He didn’t have a clue where he was going, but it was as if his legs already knew the way. And the more he ran the stronger the feeling became. _Sanji,_ his mind kept repeating over and over again. He couldn’t explain why, but he had to find Sanji, he _needed_ to find Sanji…before it was too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it, Zoro and how he felt after the claiming. Even though for the most part this story will be told from Sanji's point of view, I definitely want to include Zoro and how he feels as much as possible. Next chapter we will be jumping back to Sanji and what is going on with him. 
> 
> Sorry again for the length, and will try and update again as quickly as possible. In the mean time I would love to hear any thoughts of yours.
> 
> I'm also thinking of including a 'guide' in one of the next few chapters to explain more of the details of my omegaverse. Everyone has their own take on it, and I wanted to make sure everything in mine is understood. Even though I will probably get to explaining it eventually throughout the story, I just figure this way I might not have to go into as much detail later on. Anyway, I'm rambling, you can let me know if this is something you would be interested in, and if so, if there is anything specific you would like to see included.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji's journey to the Baratie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who reviewed or left a kudos! I appreciate it so much :D I hope you enjoy this chapter, and would love to hear what you think!!

He couldn’t believe it, he was actually almost there. When he had first set out for the Baratie, as determined as he was, a part of him was convinced it was impossible. With the amount of agony he was in, there was no way he could make the 5km journey. Yet through sheer willpower alone, he was a mere block and a half away.

He stopped, leaning against an alley wall, taking a few moments to compose himself. His legs were shaking, and he felt disgusting as his body continued to produce slick, which was now running down his legs. But none of that mattered now. He was minutes away from the Baratie, minutes away from home, minutes away from safety. 

“I can do this,” he muttered to himself, taking one last breath, before pushing himself away from the wall ready to finish this. It was almost over; somehow everything was going to be okay.

His feet were heavy, and dragged slightly with each painful step. He felt like he was walking like some sort of stereotypical zombie from some cheesy movie. But it took every ounce of his strength to do that at this point, he didn’t think he could pretend to walk normally even if he tried.

He was approaching the end of the alleyway when he froze, an increasingly familiar sense of fear overtaking him. This couldn’t be happening…not now, not when he was so close. 

“Hey there sweetheart, what are you doing here all alone?” A voice spoke from the opposite end of the alleyway, causing a shiver to rush down his spine. This stranger was an alpha, and if the mixture of scents were anything to go by, then he wasn’t alone. There were at least 3, if not 4 of them in total. All of them alphas, all of them unmated.

He hated how his body wouldn’t move, paralyzed by fear. But what he hated even more was the fact that he could feel even more slick running down his legs, as if some inherent part of him wanted the attention. The thought made him feel sick, and not for the first time that day, his stomach gave out, and he emptied what little there was on the pavement by his feet.

“What’s the matter doll, you feeling sick,” the voices were getting closer, causing a sense of urgency to hit Sanji, screaming at him to run, walk, crawl, just get out of there any way possible. But no matter how hard he willed himself to, his legs remained frozen in place.

“Come on,” he cried, slamming his fists as hard as he could into his legs. “Come, on, come on, come on.” If only he could make it to the end of the alleyway…at least then he would be in public view, at least then there was a chance that someone would help.

He had taken the secluded back alleys specifically to avoid unwanted attention, a decision he was regretting now.

“Holy crap dude, it’s a male omega.” They were now within view, his body had failed him again. He desperately tried to think, but there was absolutely nothing he could do.

There were four of them after all, all of them looking like they were in their early 20’s. Two of them were tall, well over 6 feet, one of them with thick black hair and a beard, the other clean shaven and blonde. The other two were on the shorter side, definitely shorter then him, but they were stocky, strong, still embodying what it meant to be an alpha. 

“You don’t see a male bitch every day.” The tall blonde said, earning himself a chuckle from his friends. “I don’t usually go for dudes, but this might just be too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

“Wait man…don’t you smell that? I’m pretty sure he is claimed…” One of the short ones, with red hair, said. Which was when he remembered the fact that he was indeed claimed. What had been horrifying earlier was quickly turning into a blessing. _Thank you Marimo! Thank you!_

The fact that he was claimed was likely also the reason they hadn’t jumped him already. He had heard countless stories about how unmated alphas couldn’t control themselves around unmated omegas in heat. More often then not an alpha would go feral and jump the omega without a second thought. That’s why there were so many laws and rules in place to attempt to keep omegas as safe as possible. 

He hadn’t even thought about it until now, but Zoro must’ve had incredible self-control. It was a miracle in itself that he hadn’t lost it the moment he entered the bathroom and smelled him. It took Sanji tackling him and rubbing against him for him to finally give in. 

He had actually been pretty lucky today for the most part…well apart from presenting as an omega, going into heat, and being kicked out of his house…but all things considered it could’ve been a lot worse. Someone with less control than Zoro could’ve walked into the washroom. And luckily those who were related by blood weren’t affected by the pheromones and scents of their family like they normally would be with others, otherwise his three alpha brothers could’ve been a serious problem. And finally he had been walking for over two hours now, and had managed to go unnoticed, which was another miracle…at least he had been going unnoticed. But it seemed his luck finally ran out. 

Claimed omegas were far less appealing to alphas, but their instincts and desires never truly disappeared. Hopefully Zoro’s scent was enough…

“Tch…where is his alpha then?” The blonde asked, quickly diminishing the brief glimmer of hope that he had had. “No alpha would let their omega wander around in the middle of their heat. He is probably just some whore that was forced claimed after begging a random alpha to fuck him.”

“Fuck you,” he hissed, his voice coming out in a whisper. He wasn’t sure where the courage to speak came from, but as quickly as the words left his mouth, he was quickly regretting his decision to speak at all. 

His words had been disgusting and degrading, but what hurt the most was the fact that it was true. He had begged the first alpha that came along to fuck him…and technically he was forced claimed. And even now, despite how terrified he was, even more slick continued to run down his legs, his body begging for relief, for an alpha. He really was a whore…

“What did you say to me, _omega_?” The blonde alpha growled, stepping into his personal space, grabbing his shirt, and slamming him against the alley wall.

He didn’t even register the pain of hitting the wall, every cell in his body already aching. What he did register was the increasing sense of hopelessness as the alpha stuck his face into his neck, next to his scent gland, inhaling deeply. 

“Well don’t you smell good?” He sneered, running his tongue up his neck, causing Sanji to let out a barely audible cry. “Like fresh baked bread or something.”

“M-my a-alpha will be f-furious,” Sanji stuttered out, desperately trying to hang on to his one possible lifeline. He may have been forced claimed…if you could even call it that. Technically he still asked Zoro to do it, yet it wasn’t a fully consented upon claiming, where both parties went into it already having agreed upon what was going to happen…but the details weren’t important. Right now he was alone, in heat, with four strange alphas surrounding him. If he couldn’t physically defend himself, he was going to use every other possible means to. “He is s-strong, and will go c-crazy if you t-t-touch me.”

“Dude, maybe we shouldn’t…that scent is pretty strong. I can only imagine the alpha it belongs to.” The short redhead spoke up again. Apparently the ginger was the voice of reason amongst this group, a voice that was presently falling on deaf ears.

“Shut it,” the blonde, most likely leader of the group, hissed, shooting his companion a warning glare. 

It was hard to tell, with so many different scents in the air, but it appeared that the ginger was only a beta after all; his weak scent getting lost amongst those of his alpha companions. It was no wonder that he seemed to back down so easily, taking a few steps back, removing himself from the situation. 

Within the biological hierarchy, betas were often considered to be the ‘assistants’ or ‘lackeys’ of alphas. This was of course not always the case; there were no shortage of strong, capable betas in the world. But unfortunately, more often then not, it seemed the stereotypes of their biological roles still prevailed. With alphas being leaders, betas serving them, and omegas allowing themselves to be fucked and impregnated by them. 

“If you do have this ‘strong’ alpha like you claim, then where is he, and why are you out alone?” The blonde alpha said, rubbing himself against Sanji’s thigh.

Sanji couldn’t stop the sob that escaped him feeling the hardened flesh against his leg. This couldn’t actually be happening…there was just no way…

He yelped when he felt a cold hand being shoved into the back of his pants, grabbing his slick covered ass.

“Look how wet you are, little whore.” The alpha whispered in his ear, his warm breath causing him to cringe. “Alpha or not, I know you want this.”

“N-No,” Sanji breathed out, biting his tongue to prevent a moan as a finger was shoved into him. This wasn’t fair…his body was desperate, it was confused, and apparently it was willing to accept any form of pleasure, as long as ache of his heat was satisfied. But he refused…he refused. He would not become a victim. He would not become some dirt bag alpha’s plaything. He still had his pride, and as long he was still breathing he would not give in.

“S-stop,” he cried out, as loud as his voice would allow him. If he couldn’t bargain his way out of this with Zoro’s scent, then his only option was try and get someone’s attention. 

“Help!” He screamed, attempting to force his voice even louder. Yet despite his best efforts, he couldn’t seem to force his voice any louder than what would be considered a normal conversational level.

“Shut you goddamn mouth,” the blonde hissed, punching Sanji in the gut and knocking the wind out of him before he could attempt to yell again.

A shockwave of pain unlike he ever experienced before ripped through him, causing him to cry out and grip his abdomen. It hurt so bad…he had been punched in the gut before, growing up with his brothers it had happened nearly every day, but it had never felt like this. He could feel the pain all the way up his spine, radiating through every part of his body. 

“Go keep watch at both ends of the alley…make sure I’m not interrupted.” The blonde ordered, the other three not hesitating as they took off to either end of the alleyway. “Now where were we?”

“P-please,” Sanji begged, feeling as his body began to weaken. The pain was just too much, it was all too much… 

“Please what?” The alpha sneered, flipping Sanji around, so now his face was pressed up against the brick wall.

“Please, no…” It was becoming a struggle to even keep his eyes open, as his vision began to blur, and the world felt as though it was spinning. 

“Nothing can save you now,” and in that moment, as his pants were ripped down, he believed him. 

This was it…he was about to be raped. And there wasn’t a single thing he could do about it. He would be used exactly like the weak, pathetic omega that he was.

He squeezed his eyes shut, preparing himself for the pain, when a familiar scent caught his attention. It smelt of fire, a warm comforting flame. Earlier it was a scent he had hoped to never smell again, but right now there no other scent in the world that was more welcoming.

For the first time that day he felt like everything was going to be okay. For the first time that day he felt safe. 

“Zoro,” he whimpered, as he finally gave into the pain, allowing himself to slip into unconsciousness. But it was okay, because he knew the green-haired alpha was there to protect him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Just let me know! I'm happy to answer anything.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro's inner alpha takes over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter as promised! Thank you guys again for all the wonderful comments and kudos, I seriously appreciate each and every one of them! And to show my appreciation I am giving you an extra long chapter…it might not be considered long by some standards, but it is certainly longer than the previous few. I was tempted to split this chapter up, but decided against it, so I really hope you enjoy!! :D

_Sanji…I have to find him…_

The thought played over and over in his mind, becoming more urgent with each passing minute. He wasn’t even sure why he was so panicked, and couldn’t explain it if he tried. He knew logically that Kuina and Sanji were two completely different people who had absolutely nothing in common other than the fact that they were omegas. So just because his sister did what she did, didn’t mean that Sanji would do the same. But despite knowing this, there was just something…a feeling…and he knew he had to find the blonde as soon as possible. 

He had heard the stories of the connection experienced between bonded couples. Apparently they could always tell what each other were thinking and feeling, even if they were miles apart. He could never quite comprehend that, two people being so in tuned to one another in that way. But what he was feeling now, he was starting to think he could maybe understand it. 

Sure claimed couples didn’t have the same deep seeded connection like those of bonded couples, and most of the time claimed couples don’t even experience one at all…but it was rumored that the closer the two are who are claimed, the stronger the connection was. 

He never considered the fact that he and Sanji were close…they didn’t even consider themselves friends! They just both happened to befriend the same hyperactive raven-haired idiot when he entered high school. 

From the very start they were never able to have a civil conversation, at least one that lasted longer than a minute or two. And the highlight of their relationship had always been arguments, both physical and oral, and nothing more. The only thing they seemed to be able to see eye to eye on is their shared loyalty towards Luffy and the rest of their friends. 

Although Zoro couldn’t deny that he enjoyed their rivalry. It had driven him to get stronger, to improve himself in anyway he could. The highlight of his day usually ended up being their fights…but did that really make them this close? So close that he could feel that something wasn’t right, that Sanji needed him? 

Zoro paused for a moment, taking a second to catch his breath, trying to determine where exactly he was. He had been running for at least 30 minutes, having absolutely no clue where he was going, and as a result was now completely and utterly lost. 

“I’m downtown,” He muttered, noticing all the different businesses and restaurants, “I doubt he lives anywhere near here…” He sighed, not sure where he should go now. He was about to randomly start running again when a familiar smell reached his nose. It was faint, and he almost missed it, but it was definitely his. He would never forget that smell as long as he lived. 

He took off like a shot towards the scent, the sense of urgency he felt only increasing the closer he got. He was about to turn down an alleyway, when he froze, the familiar scent changing slightly. It was no longer the pleasant and enticing smell of fresh baked bread that he remembered from earlier today…there was something almost sour about it now, alerting him to the fact that something was wrong. Sanji was afraid… 

It was then that several unfamiliar scents crossed his nose, and it wasn’t hard to tell that they were from alphas...3-4 of them if he had to guess. A sense of rage began bubbling up inside him, and he felt a low growl rumble inside of his chest.

It wasn’t hard to guess what was going on, and before he could even process it, his body was already moving. It was as if he was no longer in control. 

He turned the corner into the alleyway, and only made it a few feet before two individuals blocked him. One was definitely an alpha, the others presence was a little weaker, likely only a beta…either way, they were in his way of reaching Sanji, therefore they were his enemies. 

“Sorry buddy, this is a private party.” The taller of the two, the black haired alpha, said. 

Sanji’s distressed smell, mixed with the amused look on the man’s face, caused him to completely lose it. His vision and mind clouded as his inner alpha took over. A growl ripped through his chest, as he lunged forward, smashing his fist into the other man’s jaw. 

A sickening crack echoed through the alleyway, followed by a loud thud as the alpha hit ground. He tried to get up, but Zoro didn’t give him the chance, slamming his fist into the back of the man’s head, knocking him unconscious. 

He heard a whimper, his eyes flashing up to the smaller, red-haired beta. There was a look of fear in his eyes, and his entire body appeared to be shaking. _Pathetic…_ he thought, before turning back around and heading down the alley. 

A small part of him wanted to stay behind and rip them both to shreds, but his instincts were still in control, and right now they were telling him that the beta was no threat and that he had to get to Sanji, he didn’t have any time to waste.

The silence that hung in the air was disturbing, spurring him to move even faster. Why wasn’t he shouting? Why wasn’t he crying? Why was it so quiet? 

The scents were becoming stronger, and it wasn’t long before the sight of familiar blonde hair came into view. What he saw next caused him to stop, his body paralyzed with rage. 

Sanji was clearly unconscious, and was being pressed face first into a wall, by a much taller, blonde alpha. The omega’s pants were down at his ankles, but at least his underwear was still in place, meaning that he wasn’t too late. 

The alpha instantly noticed his presence, turning around to growl at him, when a brief flicker of recognition crossed his face.

“So you’re the ‘big strong’ alpha this little bitch was going on about,” the blonde laughed. “I assumed he was making shit up, and that he was just some whore that had been force claimed.”

The older man continued to laugh; letting go of the tight hold he had on Sanji, causing the omega to hit the ground with a loud thud. Zoro saw red, his entire body shaking with such intense rage and hate, the small rational part of him that remained was afraid of what he might do.

“This piece of trash really isn’t worth getting into a fight over, but I also hate being interrupted…especially by some barely presented alpha brat that can’t even keep his bitch in line, and just lets him wander around in heat. He was practically begging for it…moaning like some sort of slut when my finger was up his…”

That small rational part of his brain that had kept him in frozen in place, completely disappeared, his inner alpha taking control once more. 

In a blink of an eye, he had closed the distance between him and the other alpha, raising his fist to strike, but the blonde was more skilled than his friend it seemed, and was easily able to dodge the fist. Zoro was in such a blind rage that he didn’t notice the new scent, and was caught of guard as another alpha kicked the back of his knee, causing him to fall to the ground.

The pain didn’t even register in his mind, as he rolled over, avoiding a kick that was aimed at his head. He grabbed the smaller, brunette alpha’s ankle, yanking it up, causing him to hit the concrete harshly on his back, the wind being knocked out of him. This gave Zoro enough time to return to his feet, narrowly dodging a strike from the blonde, who tried to sneak up behind him. 

A glint of something caught his eye, the one light in the back alley, reflecting off of a knife. _So he wants to fight dirty…he’s lucky I was in such a hurry that I didn’t think to grab my swords._

The blonde alpha lunged at him a few more times, Zoro managing to dodge each one, but ended up backed into a wall. The man sneered, thinking he had won. “After you’re out of the way, I’m going to pound into the little bitch until I rip him in to two.”

Zoro reached out, grabbing the lid of a crash can that was luckily nearby. He whipped it around with all his strength, smashing it into the side of the blonde alpha’s head. He hissed, feeling the knife slice into his shoulder, before the blonde went down. 

He was clearly unconscious, and normally he wouldn’t even think about fighting dirty, by attacking a man when he was down. But then his words echoed in his mind, _So you’re the big strong alpha this little bitch was talking about…just some whore that had been force claimed…moaning like some sort of slut when my finger was up his…I’m going to pound into the little bitch until I rip him in to two._

He hadn’t even realized he had moved, and was now on top of the other alpha, slamming his fist repeatedly into the blonde’s face. The brunette alpha, which he had nearly forgot about, got up and took a few steps toward them, but Zoro turned, staring the alpha down, causing him to take a frightened step back.

The brunette knew how feral and uncontrollable an alpha could get when their mate was in danger, and the fact that this one had taken down their entire group was proof of that. As strong as the urge was to fight, and protect his leader, his self-preservation and desire to live was even stronger. And there was something about the green-haired alpha’s eyes…he truly believed that if he chose to attack it would be the last thing he did. 

The brunette took a few slow steps back, his hands raised in surrender, before he turned around and ran like his life depended on it.

Zoro growled, turning back to the unconscious, bloodied blonde, bring his fist back to strike again. When a weak cry reached his ears. It was faint, barely above a whisper, yet it was able to penetrate his enraged, clouded mind. 

“Z-Zoro…s-s-stop…p-please.”

And just like that, all of his anger, all of his rage, and all of his bloodlust, disappeared in an instant. His mind finally able to remember what was important… _Sanji_.

~

It was dark…he was so tired…yet so hot. What was going on? Were those cries? What was all the banging? Was someone fighting? And the smells…the smells were so intense, so, so, angry. The calming smell of flame that had been there before was now out of control, like a forest fire that threatened to destroy everything in its path. It was truly terrifying.

Sanji managed to crack his eyes open, his body to weak to move, but he was able to see the blurry images of the scene playing out before him.

Zoro was on top of the alpha that had attacked him, and he was punching him over and over…why was he doing that? The man was clearly unconscious. What was he trying to do?

The other alpha was approaching him from behind, Sanji was about to attempt to shout out, but his voice died when he saw Zoro turn around, and the look on his face. He had never seen a look of such intense hate in his life…and considering what his brothers and father were like, he didn’t think it was possible. He was ashamed to admit that a small whimper left his throat, and that he began to shake every so slightly. Even after everything that had happened that day, he had never been as terrified at any point, then he was right now. Those eyes…that rage…what was he going to do?

The brunette alpha made the wise choice of turning and running, allowing Zoro to turn back towards the blonde. Sanji’s heart skipped a beat, a new wave of terror washing over him. Was Zoro really going to do it? Was he really about to kill a man? Sure the man was a disgusting excuse for a human being, and if he planned to do to other omegas, what he had done to him, then maybe the world would be better off without him. 

But Zoro wasn’t that kind of person. Despite being incredibly dense at times…not to mention annoying and obnoxious…deep down he was still a kind, loyal person. Sanji knew that, even though they were never able to get along. He knew the kind of person Zoro was, and he knew that if he did this now, that the guilt would likely eat at him for the rest of his life. He couldn’t allow him to bare that burden, at least not because of him.

“Z-Zoro…” His voice was weak, he could barely hear it himself, and just prayed that his words would reach other green-haired boy. “S-s-stop…p-please.”

Zoro seemed to freeze mid-swing, letting Sanji know that at least his words were heard. Whether it would be enough to calm the alpha, he wasn’t sure. 

For several seconds Zoro didn’t seem to move, and Sanji was afraid that it hadn’t worked, when Zoro lowered his arm, and got off of the other alpha. 

_Thank God…_ He thought, breathing a sigh of relief. It was finally over…

His panic about what Zoro was about to do faded away, which unfortunately allowed his mind to fully comprehend what had just happened. At least what was about to happen until Zoro had found him. _Is this really what I am now? Some sniveling, weak, pathetic…_

“Stop,” Zoro spoke, causing him to flinch. He hadn’t realized that the other boy had gotten so close. And was now crouching down beside him, draping his sweater over his shaking, half naked body. “I don’t need a bond to tell what you’re thinking, it’s written all over your face. So just stop it.”

“Z-Zoro,” Sanji wanted to shout, he wanted to come up with some snarky remark, and then he wanted to tell the green-haired idiot that he had no idea what he was thinking and that he should mind his own goddamn business. But instead he began to whimper, the physical pain of his heat, and the emotional/mental pain of the day was too much. “Z-Zoro.”

Zoro pulled the shaking blonde into his arms, gently rubbing circles on his back in an attempt to soothe him. 

“There was nothing you could’ve done. The same thing would’ve happened to anyone in your situation. So don’t you dare think that his makes you less of a man in anyway.” Zoro whispered into the blonde’s hair, allowing the omega to bury his face into his neck.

Sanji continued to sob, not quite able to believe the alpha’s words, but feeling slightly comforted by them nonetheless. He rubbed his face into Zoro’s scent glands, releasing more of the alpha’s calming scent. The fact that Zoro’s scent, and the warmth of his body made him feel so safe just caused another wave of shame to hit him. 

He wasn’t sure if this feeling would ever go away, and wasn’t sure how he would feel once his heat was over and he was finally able to think with a clear head again…but right now he decided he didn’t care. He was in pain, he felt vulnerable, and all he wanted to do was hang on to this feeling of comfort and security a little while longer.

He could feel his eyes begin to droop once again. He heard it was a struggle for omegas to get much sleep during their heats, the pain just being too much. But it seemed that the physical and emotional exhaustion was winning over, and trumping the desire that was still burning strongly within him. He was just thankful that Zoro also seemed to be keeping any desires he felt in check, as badly as his body might want it, he didn’t think he could mentally handle it at this point. He was just so tired…

“B-Baratie…” he managed to choke out, before he finally allowed the exhaustion to win, and slipped into sweet oblivion once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So any thoughts? Questions? 
> 
> As always I would love to hear your opinions, and am open to suggestions. Even though I have a lot of this story planned out already, I am always willing to change things up if a good idea is suggested to me. Not to mention there is always filler, so if there is something you would like to see, just let me know!
> 
> My goal is to update a minimum of 1-2 a week, but with the holidays rapidly approaching I will apologize in advance if I happen to drop the ball and miss a week. But if that happens, just know that I am really motivated towards this story right now, so if you don't see an update for a while, rest assured that there will probably be one soon. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the little extra wait! I work all weekend, every weekend, so I never usually have much spare time. As a bonus though, this chapter is the longest one yet! I just hope that you enjoy it! So many of you responded to the last chapter (thank you so much btw) that I hope this chapter doesn't let you down! Please enjoy and let me know what you think XD

Why did it have to hurt so badly? And why was it so hot still? Was this nightmare never going to end? Sanji groaned, his eyes cracking open, the blurry images of the room slowly coming into focus. 

There was a small desk and chair, with a lamp and a few books scattered across it. The walls were covered in a wood paneling, and the floors were an old battered hardwood, with a small blue area rug in the center. This wasn’t his room…at least not his room at the Vinsmoke mansion…this was…the smell of various seafood’s wafted through the door, his eyes widening in realization.

He threw himself out of bed, trying to run across the room and down to the kitchen so he could see him. He wouldn’t believe this was real, and that he was actually home until he saw for himself. He had been in such a hurry, that he completely forgot about his heat…at least until his legs weakened and he went crashing to the floor. He groaned, trying to pick himself up, but wasn’t quite able to muster the strength.

“Fuck,” he moaned, now fully awake, and now fully aware of the burning within his stomach, and the fact that his skin was absolutely on fire. He whimpered slightly, feeling his hardened member give a painful throb against his stomach, crying for release. 

He was about to lift his hand and do his best to relieve the ache, when the door swung open, causing him to curl in on himself, trying to hide his shameful problem.

“Eggplant, is everything okay?” A rough voice spoke, causing Sanji to smile, despite his current position. So he really was home after all. It wasn’t just some sort of dream.

The older alpha’s scent was strong, but not in an overwhelming sort of way, unlike all the other alphas scents he had smelled since his presenting. There was something very comforting about it. Even though they weren’t related by blood, he still felt very safe in the alphas presence. Like there was nothing the older man would ever do to hurt him. 

He could feel the increasingly familiar sensation of tears stinging the back of his eyes. After so many surprises and hardships he experienced, the feeling of finally being safe, truly safe, was overwhelming.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed, at least not for a few more days.” Zeff spoke, his voice as gruff as ever, some may even think it was uncaring and cold, but Sanji knew better. After knowing the older man for over ten years, he could hear the concern in his words, no matter how hard he tried to mask it.

“I’m sorry…” Sanji murmured, still unable to bring himself to look at the other man, to embarrassed and ashamed to meet his eyes.

“You don’t need to apologize. In fact, you don’t need to say anything. You will have a hard enough time these next few days, and you certainly don’t need to be talking or trying to explains things. Besides, I can already guess most of what happened.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Did you not hear me boy? I just said you don’t need to apologize.” Zeff sighed, limping his way toward the shaking blonde. “Let’s get you back into bed.”

“Don’t,” Sanji cried, feeling the older man’s hand on the shoulder. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“Eggplant…” another sigh, “I hate to break it to you, but you’ve already been hear for nearly a day…I’ve already seen whatever it is you don’t want me to see.”

Sanji’s eyes widened, feeling his face burning, if possible, even more than it was before. Even though by coming to the Baratie, he was aware that the man he respected more than anyone in this world would see him in this state, it didn’t make it any less humiliating in the moment. 

“Come on,” Zeff said, lifting the blonde to his feet, respecting him enough to avert his eyes while helping him walk toward the bed. Once he heard the squeak of the bedsprings, and the ruffling of blankets, he turned his head back towards the bed.

The tall blonde looked so small curled up under the blankets, reminding Zeff of the first time the boy had shown up at his doorstep, all of those years ago. A sad smile appeared on the man’s face, wishing there was more he could do. The only thing he could think of was to allow that green-haired delinquent to stay, and he was _not_ about to let that happen.

The older man sighed, patting the whimpering boys head, trying his best to soothe him.

“I left a glass of water and a few crackers on the bedside table. I know you don’t likely have much of an appetite, but try your best to eat and keep hydrated.” He received a nod of the head in response before continuing. “I also left other products that you may umm…find useful right now.” He coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. He was just thankful that the boy was turned away from him right now. “I will check on you from time to time, bringing you food and what not…otherwise we will talk in a couple of days once all of this has passed.”

He finished, giving the boy one last sad smile, not that he could see it, before turning around and leaving the room, giving him his privacy. 

Once the door clicked shut and Sanji was sure he was alone, he finally let out a sob that he had been desperately trying to hold back. It hurt, it hurt so bad…Zeff had seen him like this…Zoro had seen him like this…his father and brothers had seen him like this. 

“Pathetic,” he cried, slamming his fist against the soft mattress below him, hearing an odd crinkling sound. He ran his hand along the sheet, eyes widening upon realization. It was a plastic sheet…he supposed it made sense, with the amount of slick his body was producing even now, but that didn’t make it any less embarrassing. He groaned, trying to push his humiliation away, as he turned over to get a better look at the items left on the small bedside table.

There was the water and crackers like the old geezer said, and there was also some pain killers, not that he believed they would be of any use…and the other item on the bed side table caused his face to start to burn so intensely, that he literally felt as though he caught on fire.

No…there was just no way. There was no way that the man he considered a father bought and left a fucking _dildo_ on his beside table…heat or not, burning desire or not, there was just no way…

“Fuck…” He cried, burying his face into his pillow, trying to block out the situation. Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, the old geezer had to go and humiliate him beyond words. And what humiliated him even more was the fact that his body actually seemed to be responding to the sight of the device…

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” The blonde groaned, turning away from the table, hissing as his member rubbed against the mattress. “Fuck…”

His mind began to cloud with desire, the need building up to the point where it became unbearable. Suddenly the image of a certain green-haired moron came to mind, and the memories of what had happened between them the day before. He would never admit it out loud, in fact he would die before he did, but he wished that the other boy were here now. The other boy and his amazing scent, the mere memory of which was causing a new wave of slick to be produced.

Sanji groaned, inhaling deeply, eyes widening when he caught the hint of the familiar scent in the air. For a brief moment his body froze, practically shivering in anticipation, when he realized that the scent was nowhere near strong enough…He looked over to the other side of the bed, and saw a faded grey sweater lying bunched up in a ball. That sweater…that scent…

A flash of memory crossed his mind, of being covered by the sweater after the incident in the alley. Zoro must’ve forgotten about it…

He sighed, biting his lip, trying to fight back what his desires were begging him to do. He might be an omega…he might be in heat…and he might have already given into his urges once before, but he certainly wasn’t going to lower himself to…

Another wave of need washed over him, causing his member to ache even more. It hurt so bad, it was absolutely horrible. How was anyone expected to survive this? With each passing second he was convinced more and more that it was just impossible. 

He let out a frustrated cry, grabbing the sweater and bringing it to his face, inhaling deeply. He couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped his lips; his body’s need increasing. Before he could second guess himself, and allow the shame to sink in, he grabbed the device from the bedside table, praying that the walls were thicker than he remembered and that nobody would hear him…

~

“Get back to work,” Zeff barked, when a loud moan came from one of the rooms above the kitchen. The older man cranked up the music, giving anyone who didn’t start working again a look of warning. 

The music and the clanking of dishes as the kitchen came back to life drowned any further sounds from upstairs. 

“Pattie, you’re in charge,” Zeff shouted over the noise, receiving a nod, before limping his way out of the kitchen and towards the back alley, inhaling the crisp cool nights air. 

The last 24 hours had been hard and unexpected, and that was putting it lightly. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that there would be a knock on his door in the middle of the night, with a strange green-haired alpha, carrying his unconscious son…who had apparently presented as an omega. 

That had been a shock in itself, not that he really cared about his sort of thing. But he knew the odds of a male presenting as an omega, so he felt justified in his surprise. Especially after hearing a couple of weeks ago that his three brothers all presented as alphas. Siblings born at the same time like twins or triplets…or in Sanji’s case quadruplets…almost always presented as the same thing. So the fact that Sanji presented differently was even more unlikely.

But how unlikely the whole situation was wasn’t what was important. What was important was what had happened to his boy, and the pain and humiliation he must’ve experienced. 

The memory of last night came back to him, as he tried to sort through everything he learned. 

_Last night…_

There was a loud knocking at the back door, which echoed loudly throughout the now empty and silent restaurant. It was nearly two in the morning, and the last of his staff had just went home…he swore if it was Pattie knocking again because he forgot something, he was going to shove his foot so far up his ass that he would feel it for months. 

“I’m coming,” he barked, as the knocking got even louder and more rapid. He picked up his pace, starting to feel the urgency behind it. 

He unlocked the three deadbolts that kept the large metal door locked, swinging it open, to reveal the most unexpected sight, one that he could never have predicted. 

It took him a few moments to take in the sight and scents before him, and be able to properly process them. There was a strong scent of an omega in heat, and considering the green-haired boy before him was clearly an alpha, that could only mean that the omega was Sanji. 

Not only did he present as an omega and was in heat but he was unconscious, half naked, and reeking of this alpha’s scent…his mind began whirling, putting all the pieces together, jumping to the only conclusion that made sense. 

He lunged forward, grabbing the unconscious blonde from the other boy’s arms, pulling him tightly to his chest. 

He saw a flash of something in the green-haired boy’s eyes, accompanied by a barely audible snarl, but it seemed he was keeping his instincts in check, and allowed Sanji to be taken.

They stood frozen for a few moments, staring each other down, neither alpha willing to back down. It wasn’t until a small whimper escaped the blonde’s lips that Zeff tore his eyes away from the stranger and allowed them to fall on Sanji. 

His skin was warm and clammy, definitely a few shades redder than it usually was. He was also shaking slightly, clinging tightly to the grey sweater that was draped over him. He looked so small and vulnerable…he had never seen him look like this before, not since they first met years ago. The sight broke his heart.

He looked back up at the green-haired boy, seeing him still looking at Sanji, something different in his eyes this time…there was a look of desire and longing, but what was more prevalent was the look of concern. If this boy had forced claimed Sanji like he assumed, would he really be so bold as to bring him home? And would he actually have the nerve to continue to stand there looking like he gave a crap?

“Stay there, I have questions,” he grunted, allowing the metal doors to slam shut on the boys face, turning the three locks before heading up to his apartment above the restaurant. 

As badly as he wanted the truth that moment, his first priority was Sanji, and had to make him as comfortable as possible before he did anything else. 

He had gotten him into bed, after placing a few old towels across it…he would have to find a better solution for that tomorrow, or they would run out of towels before his heat was done. And made sure he had something to eat and drink incase he woke up. He considered changing him and bathing him, but decided against it. Not only would it pretty much be useless as the rate his body was producing sweat and slick, but it would only add to the blonde’s humiliation once he woke up if he were to realize what he had done. As much as he hated seeing him in this state, there was nothing more he could do for him.

He sat by his bedside for a few moments, just to be close to him, and to further reassure himself that Sanji was safe…and if it kept that green-haired punk waiting a few extra minutes, so be it. 

His scent was strong, which was to be expected, but luckily it had absolutely no effect on him, which was thanks to a few different factors. Because he was getting on in years, some of his natural instincts had begun to diminish, not to mention he had been mated in the past, and even though his mate had passed on, their bond was still intact, which further diminished any possible desire he might have. But the strongest and most important fact was the bond he and the boy shared. It was different than a bond between two mates, closer to something experienced between members of a pack, but whatever it was, it was strong, and it was driving him keep his son safe. 

A few more minutes passed when Sanji let out a moan, rubbing himself against the bed in his sleep. Zeff felt his face begin to heat up, and decided it was probably best if he left. There were a few things that a parent should never see, and his omega son drying humping his bed in his sleep was definitely one of them.

He made his way back downstairs, half expecting the kid to be gone, only to find him standing in the exact same spot he had left him. The look of concern on his face bugged him, still suspecting that this kid must’ve done something to Sanji.

“Explain to me what happened…and if I find out you lie to me boy, there will be consequences.” He growled, taking a small bit of satisfaction when the boy flinched.

“Well…” Zoro started, not really sure how he was supposed to put everything that happened that day into words…at least into words that wouldn’t get him maimed by an angry alpha father. But his scent was clearly on Sanji, so there was no point in lying to him. 

He took a few deep breaths before he started telling the man everything that he knew. How Sanji had gone into heat in the middle of class. How the teacher didn’t seem to notice, so he decided to make sure that he got somewhere safe. How he found Sanji in the bathroom, and what happened after that…of course leaving out quite a few details. The man looked visibly angry at that part, but kept his mouth shut and motioned for him to continue. 

He finished off by telling him how he had a bad feeling and had set off to find Sanji, where he found him in the alleyway. Again he left out certain details, like how close Sanji actually was to being raped, and how close he actually was to killing a man. Once he finished the story, he stood there patiently while the older man thought over everything he heard, giving him a scrutinizing glare.

“Is that cut on your shoulder deep?” He asked, noticing the tear in his shirt and the bit of blood soaking through it.

“No sir.” He hadn’t really had time to examine it since it happened, but training as a swordsman, he has had his fair share of cuts, and instantly knew the difference between a scratch and something more serious. 

“Good…I didn’t really feel like inviting you in to patch it up,” Zeff grunted, stepping back into the restaurant, about to slam the door into the kids face once again, when he added, “I will wait until I get Sanji’s side of the story. Until then I don’t want you anywhere near him. You understand me moss-head?”

“Yes sir…” Zoro muttered, feeling an urge to argue. His instincts were screaming at him to get back to Sanji, and to stay with him through the rest of his heat…but he knew that was just his desire talking, and that the best thing for Sanji would be to leave. He was about to turn around and head home, when he remembered what he was called, his brow twitching in irritation. Seriously? Was it a coincidence, or had Sanji told him to call him that? “And the names actually Zoro.”

“Don’t care.” Zeff grunted, before finally allowing the heavy door to slam shut.

_Back to present…_

Even though he was annoyed to hear about the claiming, he really couldn’t hold it against either of them. He remembered the pain his wife experienced whenever she went into heat before she passed away, so he knew the pain Sanji must’ve been in. And no matter how much self-control the alpha boy had, a young unmated alpha couldn’t resist an unmated omega in heat, especially not one begging for help. 

They were both idiots, but what was done was done. The two of them would just have to deal with the consequences, at least until the claiming began to wear off, which would take months. 

What concerned him most was what the moss-head didn’t say. He seemed to know nothing of Sanji’s biological family, and what must’ve happened between them. He could only guess the reaction of that bastard who had the nerve to call himself Sanji’s father…or at least he would call himself that when it would suit him. It always seemed that his third son was more of a hindrance most of the time, yet he refused to let him leave and come live with Zeff. He was possessive and like being in control of what was his, but apparently his son presenting as an omega was too much…

His blood began to boil with rage thinking about that. How could any parent abandon their child because of what they present as? It was something they were born with, something they had no control over…just like sexuality, gender, or race. A child deserved nothing but unconditional love, support, and acceptance when they presented. An omega more so, because of all the extra hardships they would likely have to deal with at some point in there life…hardships that Sanji’s already faced within the course of a single day.

It still hurt him to think about it, but he knew how strong and stubborn his boy was. And if anyone could get through this then Sanji could. It might take him a while to accept himself, but once he did, Zeff was confident that he would be a stronger, kinder, more compassionate person for it. 

“Just hold on a little while longer eggplant,” he sighed, “I promise, one day, everything is going to be alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any thoughts? I hope most of you got what you were expecting, and if you didn't you could always let me know and I could try and fit it in to the next chapter. Chapter 9 will likely focus more on Sanji and Zeff, maybe showing what happened ten years ago when they first met. But I could always add in extras XD
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I will hopefully see you soon!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zeff and Sanji

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm soooooooooo sorry! I can't believe it has been over a month! I allowed myself to get caught up in the holidays and school starting, that I lost a lot of my spare time I normally dedicate to writing. Honestly I'm still finding it to be a bit of a struggle, and I know I'm not spending nearly as much time as I should on school work…so I can't promise that updates will be often from here on out, but I'm definitely going to try and get them to you more regularly. In the meantime I appreciate the patience! 
> 
> A big thank you to anyone who left reviews or kudos. I usually try and make a point to respond to each of the reviews, but I'm running short on time right now and just really wanted to get this up before I had to leave. But I have read all of them, and I appreciate each one very, very much. Thank you, and I really hope that you enjoy!

_It had been well over a week by now, or at least he thought so. After the first few days he had begun to lose all sense of time. He was just so hungry, and tired, and all he wanted to do was go home…yet at the same time ‘home’ was the last place on earth he wanted to be right now. Without her there, it was no home at all._

_His stomach gave another painful churn, clutching it with a groan. He was sure that he would be getting sick right now if there were anything left. It had been so long…he couldn’t remember the last time he ate, or even what it was._

_He was getting desperate, and scared. He may have been young, but he was already well aquatinted with death. Watching his mother waste away to nothing, too sick to have an appetite…he knew what starving did to a person. Which was when he decided that he never wanted to see that happen to anyone else, ever. He would always make sure that people had fully tummies! Because when people ate yummy food and had full tummies they were happy, and he wanted his mother and other people to be happy._

_Which was why he tried to get her to eat. He had made her a special dish with his own two hands and everything! He had been so excited for her to try it. But then…after only a few bites…_

_Were they right? Had he really been the one to kill his mother? Was it really all his fault? She had seemed happy when he brought her the food. She had been smiling so beautifully, for what seemed like the first time in months. She had even said it was delicious. Which had made him so proud and happy. Why then, why then was she gone?_

_A painful sob escaped his dry throat, but no tears came. How much time had past, he still wasn’t sure, all he knew was that he had already cried a lifetime of tears, and that no more seemed willing to come. He had just wanted to help her; he had just wanted her to get better so that she could be with him forever…_

_“Who’s there?” A loud, scary voice yelled, causing Sanji to freeze. He clamped his hands around his mouth, trying to silence any further sounds that were trying to force there was out of his throat. But the sounds of footsteps were making there way toward him._

_No…this couldn’t be happening…he had managed to keep himself hidden for so long. If he was found now, than they would make him go back! He didn’t want to go back! He didn’t want to! He couldn’t stand to hear their words anymore! He would rather die here then go back._

_His body began to shake uncontrollably, and no matter how much he willed it to stop, it wouldn’t, causing him to hit a nearby trash can, knocking the lid off with a loud clatter. Oh no…oh no, oh no, oh no._

_“What the hell…” The scary voice was right above him now; he looked up to see an equally scary man staring down at him. He had a weird mustache, and was that a peg leg? Was he a pirate?! “What are you doing here kid?”_

_Sanji remained frozen, too afraid to move. Maybe if he stayed still and didn’t answer the man then he would go away and leave him alone?_

_“Where are your parents?” Zeff tried again, seeing the kid begin to tremble. Just how long had he been out here? He was filthy, and looked like he hadn’t eaten in days. His cheeks were sunken in, and even though his body was wrapped in a fairly thick coat, he could only imagine the frail frame that was hidden underneath. “What’s your name?”_

_Still nothing but silence…obviously something had happened to this kid to drive him to this point, what it was he couldn’t even begin to imagine…but regardless, it seems he would have to handle this situation carefully._

_“Fine, you don’t have to tell me anything…”_

_The scary pirate man said, before he turned to walk away. It worked; he was gone, now he wouldn’t have to go back…_

_Should he try and move somewhere else? Just in case the scary man decides to come back? But where would he go? He was lucky enough to find this cardboard box tucked away nicely behind a few trashcans. It provided decent shelter and he had felt safe here. Now he would have to leave…at least though it was better than being found…it was better than having to go back._

_He crawled out from his box, struggling to stand up on shaky legs. His vision blurred, and he had to grab onto one of the trashcans to stop himself from falling over. He felt sick, really sick, and wondered briefly if this is what she must’ve felt like all the time. What would she think if she saw him now? Would she be angry? Disappointed?_

_Sanji shook the thoughts away, trying to concentrate on the task at hand. He could think about things later, but for now he had to get out of here._

_He took a few careful steps forward, not quite trusting his legs yet, when a loud bang startled him, causing him to lose his balance and land on his butt. He looked up with wide eyes to see the scary man from before, standing by a large metal door, holding a plate of food…_

_The smell, it was so good…he could feel his mouth begin to water, as his stomach churned painfully. Why was the man doing this? Was he teasing him? Why would he be so cruel?_

_The man grunted, looking him in the eyes, before placing the plate down on the ground and going back through the door, disappearing from sight. Why would he do that? Was that food for him? It couldn’t be, could it? Why would a scary stranger do that for him? Was it poison?_

_Sanji remained frozen for a few moments, expecting someone else to come walking by and pick up the plate, because surely the yummy smelling food wasn’t for him. But after a few minutes, with no one in sight, his stomach gave another painful growl and he decided he didn’t care._

_He didn’t care if that wasn’t his food, he didn’t care if the scary man made it, he didn’t even care if it was poison…he needed to eat, and he needed to eat now._

_He lunged forward, scooping up the fried rice in his hands, eating it as quickly as he could, as if someone was about to come take it away from him any moment. It was so good! It was the best thing he had ever tasted in his life! And he was pretty sure that wasn’t even his hunger talking! Each bite was more delicious than the last, and before he realized it the plate was completely empty._

_He was a little disappointed, the emptiness of his stomach nowhere close to satisfied. But at least the dizzy nauseous feeling had subsided a bit…for the first time in days he felt all right…like he wasn’t on the brink of death._

_The door that the old man had disappeared behind creaked open, causing him to jump. He tried to run away, but the smell that started wafting through the door kept him rooted in place. It smelt so good…and he was still so hungry…_

_The old man didn’t appear at the door, he just propped it open, almost like an invitation…no, that couldn’t be it. The scary geezer was probably angry at him for eating the rice, now he was trying to lure him into his lair, where he would probably cook him up and eat him. Maybe he was trying to fatten him up so he would taste better!_

_His stomach churned again, making an audible growling sound. As frightened as he was, he was even more frightened of wasting away. Of slowly, and painfully dying of starvation. The images of his mother, lying cold and dead in her bed, almost every single bone visible beneath her skin, haunted his mind. He was scared; he didn’t want to end up like that too. He could already feel his bones more prominently under his skin, and knew it wouldn’t be long until he met a similar fate as his mother._

_So despite not completely trusting the scary old man, he slowly crept through the door, finding himself in one of the largest kitchens he had ever seen. It was even bigger than the kitchen back at the mansion! It was incredible! You could probably make enough food to feed thousands of people here. He wished he could cook in a place like this._

_“Don’t just stand there gawking all day you brat. If you want anything else to eat, you will have to earn it.” The old man’s voice barked, startling him. He had been so hypnotized by the beauty of the kitchen, that he didn’t even notice the scary pirate man standing in the middle of it._

_The old man gestured toward a cutting board on the counter, where there was already a stool pulled up towards it. Sanji hesitated for a few moments, but quickly gave in, the idea of helping prepare a meal in this massive kitchen just too exciting to pass up._

_After quickly washing his hands he stepped up on the stool to see a strange purple thing. He had never seen one before. What was it? Was it even edible? He picked it up and began examining it carefully. What was he suppose to do with it?_

_“It’s an eggplant, and your suppose to cut it, like this…” The old man came over, grabbing a nearby knife and demonstrating cutting the eggplant. After a few slices, he handed the knife back over to him._

_Sanji stared at the knife in awe, it was razor sharp, and shiny, practically glittering under the lights of the kitchen…it was beautiful. It almost made him feel like a real chef just holding it, causing the smallest of smiles to tug at his lips._

_“It’s not going to cut itself,” the harsh voice barked, breaking him out of his trance. He glared at the old man for ruining the moment, before turning back towards the strange purple thing, gently bringing the knife down, trying to cut it just like he was shown._

_After he was finished he looked up to the old man, receiving a nod of approval, causing him to beam with pride. He had done it! He had help prepare a real meal, with a fancy knife, in a giant kitchen! He wasn’t sure if he had ever felt this excited before, and for the first time in days, he forgot about the pain and grief that had been eating away at him._

_“Don’t look so happy you little Eggplant, we’re not done yet.” Zeff said, not able to keep the amusement out of his voice as he saw the small blonde huff._

_“I’m not little! And I’m not an Eggplant! You…you old…you old geezer!”_

_“Old geezer? I’ll show you old geezer!” Sanji didn’t have time to run when the man lunged, digging his fingers into his sides and began tickling._

_“Stop it!” He cried between laughs, struggling in vain to free himself from his hold, “stupid old geezer!”_

_“Ungrateful brat…” he muttered, stopping his tickling and returning to his preparation. He was able to feel just how frail the boy was under the jacket, and it was truly alarming. He needed to get more food into him as soon as he could._

_He really wanted to ask him how he had gotten himself into this situation, but decided against it for now. The boy seemed to be getting more comfortable around him…at least comfortable enough to already mock him…and he didn’t want to ruin that by asking questions that might upset him and scare him off._

_“Can I stir the sauce?” The boy asked hesitantly, eyes lighting up when he nodded yes._

_“But if you burn it you will have to remake it from scratch.”_

_“Really?!” He asked, sounding far too excited._

_“Don’t burn it on purpose you little Eggplant.”_

_“I wouldn’t waste food on purpose you old geezer! And my name is Sanji, not eggplant!”_

_“Whatever you say eggplant…” The old man chuckled, leaving Sanji to his stirring._

_“Stupid geezer…” He muttered under his breath, turning back to his stirring, a smile never leaving his face. This was nice…this was different…and he couldn’t help but think how nice it would be if he could stay here like this and cook with the old geezer forever._

Sanji woke up with a groan, his entire body aching. But the ache was nothing like it was before, it was only a dull pain now, resulting from being in bed for so long, and possible overuse of that device…which he would never speak of again as long as he lived. 

His heat must finally be over…not only was the burning pain gone, but the fact that he had dreamed of the old geezer and the first time they met instead of a certain green-haired asshole was a pretty clear indication…he couldn’t help but smile at the memory. 

He had spent over three months at the Baratie with Zeff, learning so much about the art of cooking, it had definitely been the best time in his life. It wasn’t until his father finally seemed to notice that he was missing that he decided to track him down. Not so much because he was worried or that he missed him, but he was probably afraid the news of his disappearance might get out to the business world, and he probably wanted to save face, and not deal with the embarrassment of a runaway son. He hadn’t wanted to leave, and despite the old geezers appearance of indifference, it was clear that he hadn’t wanted him to leave either. 

Zeff had never out right said anything, but Sanji had gotten the feeling that he was lonely. He was surrounded everyday by his staff, but at the end of the night they would go home, and he was left alone. Sanji had seen the pictures of the woman, but was too scared to ask about her when he was younger. Over the years he had learned that she had been his mate, and that they had been together since they were in high school. She had grown ill years ago while carrying their child…neither pup nor mother had survived. 

So despite his shitty attitude, Sanji knew how much his presence meant to the old man. And the old man’s presence had meant just as much to him. It was only when he was with Zeff that he felt like he had an actual father…an actual family. So over the past ten year he would sneak away from the mansion as much as he could to spend time at the Baratie. Sometimes he would even get away with it for a few days, but his father would always show up eventually and drag him back. 

Sanji sighed, trying to shake the remaining memories from his head. What had happened in the past didn’t matter now. What mattered now was that he was here, and that he was safe, and by the sounds of it, he would no longer have to worry about his father ever showing up and dragging him back again. After all, what good would an omega son be to him?

Omega…he still couldn’t believe that he was actually an omega. The chances were just so small, so it wasn’t something he had ever considered before. And it wasn’t as if those few omega males that existed were celebrated or anything. Most of the time they were hidden away like some sort of dirty secret. Female alphas had it a little better. They were still often seen as abnormalities, but at least their status as alphas gained them a certain levels of respect. Omegas, however, were looked down upon a lot of the time and treated as inferior, so add in the fact that he was a male omega, he didn’t stand much of a chance at all.

He sighed again, deciding there was no point in throwing himself a pity party. It wasn’t like it was going to change anything anyway. He pulled himself out of the bed, and looked down at the dried slick stains that covered the sheets with disgust. He made a mental note to wash the bedding before the old man could see it. He wasn’t sure if he could handle anymore humiliation at this point. But before he did that…his body was so dirty that it practically itched, and he couldn’t wait a second longer to get into the shower. 

Once he was standing under the warm water for a few minutes he began to feel a little better, a little closer to what he would classify as normal. Though the constant aching in his backside, that was sure to linger for a few days, would do a good job of reminding him that he certainly wasn’t normal. 

After getting out of the shower and changed, he made a beeline for the kitchen. It had been nearly a week since he had a proper meal and he was starving. He had sworn to himself that he would never miss another meal again, but supposed that it couldn’t be helped. The last few days he was barely even able to think about anything other than satisfying the ache, let alone trying to fit in a full meal three times a day. 

He looked around quickly, praying that the old geezer wasn’t awake yet, but had his hope quickly dashed when a strong scent of alpha reached his nose. It was strange that everybody had such strong, distinct scents. That was something that he would definitely still have to get use to.

“Glad you’re finally up and about.” The voice reached his ears before he even entered the kitchen. He supposed his scent must’ve been equally as strong. 

“What do you need me to do,” Sanji answered, heading straight to the sink to wash up, and than to the cutting board that the older man had indicated. They fell into a familiar routine, working in silence, neither daring to break the others concentration. Only when the grand breakfast was completed and laid out before them, was the silence broken. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Zeff asked, though he was sure he already knew the answer. 

“What do you think?” Sanji snorted, avoiding making eye contact with the other man as he began piling his plate high with scrambled eggs.

“Fine, you don’t have to say anything…” Zeff finally answered, choosing his next words carefully. “There’s just one thing I need to know. I need to know whether what that green-haired punk said was true or not.”

Sanji froze at the mention of Zoro. He had been so caught up in his thoughts about being an omega, that he had almost completely forgot about the other boy and the role he had played in this whole thing.

“I can smell him all over you…he told me that it had happened at school, and that you had asked him…but if he was lying and he forced you then I will…”

“You’ll what?” Sanji cut him off. Feeling his face and neck heat up. Why did the old geezer have to bring this up? They were having a perfectly pleasant breakfast…well maybe pleasant wasn’t the word, but at least it had been bearable. “Are you going to hunt him down and kick his ass or something?”

“No,” Zeff said, not an ounce of amusement in his voice, “I’ll kill him.”

Sanji’s eyes widened slightly, not expecting that answer from the older man. Sure he knew that the geezer was no push over, he had been on the receiving end of a kick enough times to know that, but he had never heard him sound so…so frightening. He didn’t doubt for a moment that the old alpha was serious. 

“Like I need you to fight my battles for me,” he snorted, trying to lighten the mood, but it didn’t work. A frightening aura hung in the air, and it was beginning to make him feel uncomfortable. Was this really what he was going to feel every time an alpha got angry around him from now on? He sighed, taking the sarcasm out of his voice. “You don’t need to hunt him down…what ever the moss-headed bastard told you was probably the truth. I…I asked him to.” It was harder to say out loud than he had thought, and hung his head in shame.

What would Zeff think of him now? Would he think he was weak? Pathetic for not even being able to suffer the pain of heat for more than a few minutes? This was a man he looked up to more than anyone, a man that he thought of as a father, and now here they were discussing how he had begged to be fucked like a whore. 

“Alright, I understand.” Zeff nodded, feeling his anger slowly ebb away. At least now he wouldn’t have to try and track down the other alpha…something he certainly hadn’t been looking forward to. He was going to go back to his meal, knowing Sanji wouldn’t want to talk about it anymore, when a slightly distressed scent caught his attention.

He looked over at the blonde, and though he couldn’t see his eyes, he could tell that he was fighting back tears, his entire body shaking. 

The boy was always so strong, and in the ten years that he had known him, he had never seen him cry once. Not even when he finally opened up to him about his mother and her death. He had always forced himself to be strong, not wanting to appear weak, and it seems that the façade he had kept up for so many years was finally breaking. And with everything he had been through the last few days, he couldn’t blame him. Even the strongest were allowed to fall apart sometimes.

Zeff didn’t say anything, he just moved his chair closer, and pulled the shaking blonde into his arms. Sanji tensed up at the contact, feeling even more humiliated now, no longer able to fight back the tears.

“I’m pathetic,” He cried, trying to pull away from the alpha.

“You know that’s not true.” Zeff answered, keeping his hold on the boy firm.

“Of course it is…”

“Is not…”

“Is to…”

“Is not…”

“Are we really having this conversation right now?” Sanji snapped, deciding to wipe his nose on the old geezer’s shirt. That would teach him for trying to comfort him…

“Listen eggplant…I’m not going to pretend that I know what you are going through, because I don’t. But I know plenty of omegas, and ‘pathetic’ is not a word I would use to describe a single one of them. Do you think your sister is pathetic? What about the omega teachers from your school? What about that loud mouthed red haired girl you brought in here once…”

“Nami-swan hasn’t even presented yet.”

“And what if she presented as an omega? There’s a 50% chance that she will…will you think she is pathetic then?”

“Of course not! Nami will always be perfect! And I don’t think all omegas are pathetic!”

“Then why would you think of yourself that way? Because you’re male? Because you couldn’t control your urges during heat? It’s rare to find an omega that can. Saying you’re pathetic, or implying that you’re ashamed to be an omega, isn’t that implying that there is something to be ashamed about? Are you saying that all omegas should be ashamed to exist?”

“N-no…” Sanji muttered, allowing the old geezer’s words to sink in. He had never really thought about it like that. He had a deep seeded respect for all women, omegas, betas, and alphas a like, he would never think a single one of them was pathetic…and certainly not the omegas. He knew from health class, and now first hand experience, the pain they had to go though, so if anything he would say that he respected omega women even more than the others…

“Well then?” Zeff asked, snapping Sanji out of his thoughts.

“Stupid old geezer…” Sanji mumbled, not wanting to give the old fart the satisfaction of knowing that his words actually got to him. He had never really thought about it in those terms before…it definitely allowed him to look at things with a new perspective. 

“Shitty eggplant,” Zeff mumbled back, smirking to himself as he noticed that the boy was no longer shaking. It may take some time yet, but Sanji would definitely be all right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? I honestly wasn't thrilled with it, but that's just my inner perfectionist being constantly critical of myself. I hope it was at least decent and that you enjoyed. I would love to hear any thoughts, and promise to try and update as soon as possible.
> 
> Next chapter will be Sanji's return to school. We will also get to see some of the straw hats that we haven't gotten a chance to meet yet XD


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji returns to school…it didn't quite go as expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for any comments and kudos, I appreciate them all!
> 
> Sorry if this chapter is a little shorter, but at least you didn't have to wait a whole month for it XD I hope you enjoy anyway, and would love to hear any thoughts or opinions!

_I can do this, I can do this, I can do this…_ He kept repeating to himself over and over, as he slowly inched his way closer to the school doors, not quite able to convince himself. Despite the heartfelt talk he had had with Zeff the other day, that had surprisingly made him feel quite a bit better at the time, his new found confidence seemed to shatter the moment the school came into sight. 

They would know wouldn’t they? The second he walked through that door. There was really no hiding it…scent blockers were just as expense as the suppressants for heat, and given his new financial situation, it really wasn’t a luxury he could afford. At least the majority of the student body probably hadn’t presented yet, he tried to reassure himself, but in the end he knew that that really didn’t matter. Even if only the teachers and a fraction of the student body could smell him, it would likely only take until the end of the day until the entire school knew. When ever someone presented it became the latest and most exciting gossip. The school would be a buzz for days talking about whether the individual presented as what everyone expected them to, and who could be a potential mate for said individual. 

Sanji was ashamed to say that he had actually enjoyed the gossip himself from time to time. Every time he would hear about one of the pretty girls presenting as an omega, he would curse his body for taking so long, and would dream of the day that he would present as an alpha, so he could begin courting one of those lovely ladies…it seemed so ironic now. He could almost laugh…almost.

And to make matters worse, over the two plus years he had attended this school, he had never once heard about a male omega or a female alpha, so he was even more worried how insane the rumor mill would get, and just hoped that the novelty wouldn’t last long, and he could go happily under the radar for the remainder of his senior year. But the minute he entered the school, it seemed that that would be too much to ask. 

Zoro appeared out of nowhere, and was by his side the moment he walked through the door. And of course the entryway was crowded with students arriving to school, some of who had presented, and were now pointing at him and Zoro whispering amongst themselves. Once again he had been so wrapped up in worrying about people finding out about him being an omega that he had forgotten once again about the fact that Zoro’s scent was still all over him.

He could feel his blood begin to boil, and had to use every ounce of self-control not to send Zoro flying across the hall, but considering the number of teachers around, he didn’t think it was his best option. That didn’t make him any less furious though, which Zoro seemed to sense, because he took a couple of steps back.

“I was just a…” He began, the words dying on his tongue when Sanji looked up at him, his level of anger clearly written on his face. Zoro felt a slight pang of something in his gut, something he couldn’t quite place.

He understood the other boy’s anger, he really did. In fact he had been preparing himself for this moment all week. He was expecting to either be ignored, or receive a few broken ribs…either way he had told himself he was ready for it. And whatever Sanji wanted to do, he deserved it, and he would accept any punishment. But seeing him walk through those doors just now…something happened to him…something he couldn’t seem to control. He had planned to give Sanji his space, not wanting to complicate his first day back, knowing that it would be difficult enough for him. He would wait for Sanji to seek him out to receive his punishment. But before he knew it he was by his side, as if he was being pulled forward by some sort of invisible force, one that he couldn’t seem to fight. 

But standing there now, seeing the look of betrayal and anger shining in his eyes, he knew he had made yet another mistake. 

“You were just what?” Sanji finally hissed, feeling his whole body begin to tremble. “You were worried that my smell alone wouldn’t alert people to what happened between us, so you had to publicly stake your claim instead?”

“No, I…I just wanted to make sure you were okay…” Zoro finished lamely, at a loss for anything else to say, because even he didn’t have an answer to why he was standing there.

“Well I’m just peachy, so you now you can fuck right off and leave me the hell alone.” Sanji seethed, practically fuming. He was about to turn around and leave, when he heard a few practically loud whispers that caused him to freeze in his tracks.

_“Can you believe that omega is talking to his alpha like that?”_

_“Forget about that, can you believe there is actually a male omega at our school? Talk about messed up…I mean, I heard they existed, but to actually see one…”_

_“My money was on Vinsmoke being an alpha, I would never of guessed…wait, does this mean he’s gay? Shit, I totally changed in front of him in gym class! He was probably checking me out!”_

_“So he was already claimed by Zoro…I wonder how serious it is, or if he would let me have a crack at it…shut up dude! It’s only gay if you’re the one that takes it up the ass…”_

He had known this would be hard, but he still hadn’t been mentally prepared for that. Hearing people that he had known for the past few years, some of whom he even considered pretty good friends, hearing them talk about him like that…like he was some sort of joke, like he was no longer human, it stung worse than he could’ve imagined. 

He heard a growl from beside him, horrified to see that Zoro had stepped in front of him, shielding him from the group of on lookers that had gathered around him. Great…just when things couldn’t get any worse…or so he thought.

“Hey Sanji! You smell great!” A loud, overenthusiastic voice boomed from behind him. He turned around to see Luffy, Nami, and Usopp walk through the doors, Luffy apparently not noticing what was going on, unlike Nami and Usopp, who had the good sense to stay back.

“You smell like bread, which reminds me, I’m soooooooo hungry!” He whined, about to throw himself at the blonde, like he did every morning; until Sanji pulled out the extra sandwich he always had on hand for him, when he was caught mid air and slammed to the ground.

A hush fell over then entire crowd, everyone staring on in shock, and slight terror, at the sight. Zoro had Luffy pinned to the ground, a growl ripping from his throat, and a terrifying feral look in his eyes. 

Sanji stared on in horror, feeling himself begin to shake even harder. Shit, shit, shit…what was happening? What was the moss-head doing? Why was he so angry? He looked…he looked just like he did that night…the very thought sent a terrified shiver down his spine. Why was this happening? He had to do something…he had to stop it some how…but no matter how many times he commanded his legs to move, they remained frozen in place.

“Nami, take Sanji somewhere…” A blurry, distant voice spoke, but he couldn’t seem to make out the words. It wasn’t until a gentle hand grabbed his wrist and started pulling him out the door that he finally snapped out of it. 

He didn’t struggle as Nami pulled him around the building, until they reached a secluded area tucked behind the gym. He slumped down to the ground, burying his face into his knees, not able to look at the girl before him, as everything that just happened began to sink in. To say that he was mortified would be an understatement. He had never been so humiliated in his life. He would gladly allow Zeff to buy him a million more dildos if he could turn back time and decide not to go to school that morning.

Sure he was expecting the entire school to find out he was an omega by the end of the day, but he wasn’t expecting it to happen before the first period bell had even wrung…and he certainly didn’t expect Zoro to appear out of nowhere and bare his fangs like some stupid, alpha, Neanderthal, asshole! And once again, he didn’t expect to feel so unexplainably terrified. He was an omega, but he was still a man dammit…what the hell was happening to him?

“So that didn’t play out how you wanted, huh?” A teasing voice spoke, causing his humiliation to multiply. And to top everything off, his precious Nami-swan had seen everything! She had seen him terrified like the pathetic mess he was! And she no doubt heard what some of the other students had said, so he was sure that she knew everything…

“Listen, Sanji, I know how difficult this must be, but I need you to calm down and look at me alright?” Nami said, the teasing now gone from her voice. It was only when she placed a hand on his shoulder that he realized he was still shaking. 

She waited for him to look up for a few moments, before realizing it was likely pointless, and continued anyway. “I know how upset you must be right now, but you have to remember that the school was going to find out anyway…at least it was over with quickly. And no matter what anyone thinks, you still have us…we are you’re friends, and even though it hasn’t been made official yet, we are basically like a pack! A family! At least that’s how I feel, and I know most of the others feel the same. So please don’t let this get to you…”

“Everything has changed. Nothing will ever be the same again…Zoro he…he…in front of everyone…now I…” 

“I know. And as soon as Luffy has calmed him down I will give him a kick in the balls if you want…though I’m sure he will beat himself up more than any of us could. I’m not excusing him but…you can’t quite blame him either…”

Sanji finally snapped his head up, looking at the small redhead girl for the first time that morning. Nami and Zoro almost argued as much as he and Zoro did. Was his precious Nami-swan actually defending that idiot?! There was no way?!

“Don’t look at me like I just murdered you’re puppy or something!” Nami tried to defend, seeing the crushed look on the blondes face. “I’m not taking sides or anything, I can just sort of understand what Zoro must be going through!”’

“What do you mean…how could you understand?” Sanji looked at his friend confused, seeing her face heat up slightly. 

“Well uhhh…I guess there’s no harm in telling you now. I was trying to keep it on the down low, at least until we graduated…but since you presented, and you would probably figure it out soon anyway…the reason I can sympathize with Zoro is because I understand the bond that can be formed between an alpha and omega…I’ve seen what happens when an alpha feels like their mate is threatened, how their instincts take over. It can be scary, but it’s in their biology, they can’t help it.”

“Are you talking about your mother? She’s an alpha, right?” Sanji was still confused. What was she talking about? What did she mean she’s seen what happens? Did her mother lose control protecting her and her sister or something? But no, she was talking about a bond between an alpha and omega…

“Yeah she is…which reminds. She probably understands what you’re going through presenting as something against the odds…if you ever want to talk to her I’m sure she would be happy to…”

“Nami…” 

“Right, right, sorry…” She sighed. She wasn’t sure why it was so hard to tell him. They had been friends for years…they were going to be a pack, at least that was what she was hoping, so she should have probably told him ages ago. But she had also known how he felt about her, and she had been afraid. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him…but she had a feeling she was about to do that anyway.

“The reason I know so much is because,” she paused briefly, so she could tug down the collar of her school shirt, and reveal the bond bite that laid nestled in the crook of her neck. “Because 6 months ago, after me and my alpha bonded, I was nearly attacked, and my alpha lost complete control.”

Just when his messed up life didn’t seem like it could get any worse, it felt as if his world was once again shattered, crumbling into smaller and smaller pieces. How could this be? She didn’t even have a scent! This couldn’t be possible, yet, there was no mistaking that mark on her neck. His precious Nami-swan was an omega…his precious Nami-swan was bonded with someone…but who? And why did she keep it from him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So not quite what Sanji wanted…
> 
> Next chapter will deal with what happened between Luffy and Zoro, as well as reveal Nami's secrets. Until then, thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro and Luffy sort things out. And Sanji and Nami have a chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to everyone that commented or left kudos, I appreciate it so much!!!
> 
> I have one thing I want to mention before I begin this chapter. At the beginning of the story I think I mentioned that Luffy was a year younger then Zoro and Sanji, but I decided I want to change that. I want all of them to be roughly the same age (at least the ones that are in high school). So as of right now, they are all in their senior year. I will keep their birthdays the same as their actual character birthdays, so that means Nami is 18, Zoro is 18, and Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji are still 17. As we meet the other characters I will let you know how old they are. 
> 
> Anywho, I really hope you enjoy this chapter and would love to hear your thoughts!

“Nami, take Sanji somewhere…” He said calmly, not even flinching when a fist smashed into the side of his face, with a surprising amount of force, not that he was expecting any less from the green haired alpha.

“Where are you taking him,” Zoro growled, making a move to follow after Sanji and Nami, but was grabbed by the ankle, and came crashing down to the ground, barely managing to break his fall with his hands. He tried to jerk his leg free from the tight grip, but couldn’t shake loose no matter how hard he tried.

“Let me go,” he hissed, continuing to struggle in vain. As strong as he was, nearly doubling the size of his friend, Luffy had a freakish, unexplainable strength, which even he couldn’t over power.

“Not until you calm down. You don’t want to do something you’ll regret…although it might already be too late for that.” Luffy’s voice remained even, unaffected by the intimidating scent the other alpha was releasing, unlike the rest of the crowd. Most of the students had scattered, realizing that a fight between two alphas really wasn’t something they wanted to get too close to. And the two teachers that did happen to be in the front entrance were a small omega woman, and an old beta man, both rushing off to find a couple of alpha staff members that would be better suited to handle the situation. 

“You were going to jump on him!” Zoro snapped, once he realized his struggling to get free was pointless. 

“So? I jump on him everyday! Just like I usually end up jumping on you, Usopp, and Nami too!”

“But it’s different! He’s my…” The words died on his mouth before he could finish them, his eyes widening in horror once he realized what he had been about to say. Now that Sanji’s scent was starting to weaken, his mind began to clear, and he was absolutely horrified. Were those words really about to come out of his mouth? What the hell was wrong with him? “I…I…shit…”

“Seems like you finally calmed down.” Luffy said, releasing his leg, but he remained frozen where he was, completely in shock over what had just happened.

After dropping Sanji off that night, with the alpha he assumed was his father, he had wandered around for hours thinking about everything that had happened that night. And that was when he made a vow to himself, that some how, some way, he was going to make everything up to Sanji. He may not be particularly fond of the blonde most of the time, but he knew he had wronged him, and he was determined to make it right. He told himself that he would keep his distance, and when the time came that he would accept whatever punishment Sanji decided to give him…because knowing the curly brow, there would be a punishment of some sort. 

All week he remained firm on this, and then within five seconds of him walking through the door he completely weakened, not able to keep his damn instincts in check once again…had he always been this weak? This pathetic?

“I fucked up bad…” He mumbled, burying his face in his hands, to ashamed to look up at the other alpha.

“Yup,” Luffy chuckled, the serious aura he had on seconds ago now gone. “But knowing Sanji he will just kick your ass and then get over it.”

“No…not after what I did…he will hate me.”

“Since when did you care if he hates you?” Usopp asked nervously, both alphas looked up, not realizing that he hadn’t run off during the fight like the rest of the crowd. Which considering he was Usopp, was actually quite impressive. 

“Usopp’s got a point,” Luffy grinned.

“I don’t! I just…” Zoro stuttered, wishing in that moment that he were half as good at lying as Usopp was. He just sighed, focusing his gaze back to the ground. “I just owe him.”

“That’s up to him to decide.”

Zoro remained silent at that, feeling mentally and physically drained. School hadn’t even started and he was already ready to go home and crawl into bed. And to top everything else off with, small amounts of Sanji’s scent remained in the air, compelling him to follow it and find the blonde. But he knew how much of a disaster that would be, so he pushed those instincts aside, turning toward the other two.

“Get me out of here.” He said simply, the other two nodded in understanding, also able to pick up the lingering scent. 

“That’s probably a good idea anyway. By the smell of it those teachers are on their way back, and they seemed to have rounded up every alpha staff member in this school…including old smoky.” Luffy said, referring to their alpha principle ‘Smoker’. A man whom Luffy had a particularly ‘touchy’ relationship with…which considering he had accidently started a fire in the man’s office while waiting to be punished for starting a food fight in the cafeteria, no one could really blame grey haired man. Luffy would probably have been expelled ten times over by now if it wasn’t for the influence his grandfather had. 

The three of them got out of there just in time, missing the unpleasant conversation. Though their scents were all over the corridor, and there were no shortages of witnesses, so they knew they weren’t likely off the hook entirely. Fighting at school was of course prohibited, but the rules were particularly strict when it came to two alphas. Apparently a few students had been critically injured years ago when a fight between two alphas had broken out, neither able to control their animal instincts. Even if the fight didn’t escalated beyond a single punch, the punishment would likely be sever.

“We should go visit Robin and Franky! We haven’t seen them in a while and they always have good food! And I’m still soooo hungry!” Luffy whined, clutching his stomach dramatically. 

“Yeah, that might be good.” Zoro agreed, more than happyto cut school and avoid the rumors that were likely already consuming the student body. He could only imagine what they were saying after his little display. Plus going to meet the bonded beta couple had other benefits as well. If anyone could give him advice on what he should do next it was Robin. Even though he hated admitting that he needed help, and the older woman usually spoke in riddles, which was some what annoying, but at this point he was desperate and would take anything. And knowing her she was probably already aware of the situation somehow…he swore that woman was a witch or something.

“Everything will work out.” Luffy spoke up, snapping Zoro out of his thoughts. Apparently he wasn’t hiding his distress as well as he thought…or Luffy could just tell anyway. He was very perceptive despite his usual carefree demeanor, which was one of the many reasons why he was considered the leader of their group.

“I hope so Luffy,” he sighed, but wasn’t quite able to believe his friends words. He tried to think that if the roles were reversed and he was in Sanji’s position, would he be able to forgive him? He couldn’t honestly say he would, which made the uncomfortable feeling bubbling up inside of him worse. What would he do if Sanji didn’t forgive him? And why did he care so much? If the blonde was mad at him before all of this happened he would care less…but now…now it felt like his heart was being squeezed, and it was hard to breathe. It felt as though his entire existence hinged on whether the blonde forgave him or not. He just prayed that it wasn’t too late to make things right.

…

“Nami-swan, you’re an omega?” Sanji finally managed to ask, once the shock of everything began to wear off. “But how? I can’t smell you.”

“That’s because I’m taking scent blockers…after what nearly happened six months ago, I was afraid to go out alone, but I also didn’t want to completely lose my independence.”

“But aren’t those incredibly expensive? I don’t mean to be rude, but I wouldn’t guess that your family could afford them.” Sanji asked, cringing at just how rude that sounded, but not able to stop himself from asking. He was so confused, and just wanted some answers to try and make sense of everything.

“We can’t…you know Vivi right?”

“Of course! The lovely flower that is friends with Kaya. The one that goes to the really fancy private school with her.” Sanji answered, briefly allowing his mind to wander to the lovely blue haired girl. She really was a kind sweet girl, so he had a feeling he knew where this was going, but waited for Nami to continue anyway.

“Well she was more than happy to share her scent blockers with me after she heard what happened.”

“Wait, so you mean…Vivi-chan is an omega too?” He couldn’t believe this! Even though he wasn’t quite as close to her yet as Nami and the others, they had been spending an increasing amount of time with her lately. Kaya and Usopp, who were both betas, had recently bonded, a fact that didn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Those two had been seeing each other since middle school, so it was only a matter of time before they made it official. So since Kaya was obliviously spending more and more time with them all, and once in a while Vivi would come along with her, so she was slowly becoming a member of the group herself. This made the news even more surprising and slightly hurtful. So not only did Nami hide the fact that she presented from him, but Vivi-chan did as well…why would they keep this from him? 

“Yeah. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you…”

“I don’t understand. Did you not trust me? Did you think I would take advantage of you or something? Do you really think that poorly of me?!” He snapped, instantly feeling bad for raising his voice to a woman, but the hurt and anger he felt was just too much for him to control. 

“Of course not! I know you would never do anything to hurt me…”

“Then why Nami? Please explain it to me!”

“Everything just happened so fast! I presented and went into heat, and before I knew it I was already claimed…I’m sure you can understand that given your own circumstance.”

Sanji flinched, her tone harsh and her words stinging slightly. But she wasn’t wrong…within a span of 30 minutes he had presented and was already claimed…so it certainly could happen fast.

“I’m sorry, I know things are still fresh for you, so that was uncalled for.” She quickly back tracked, seeing the brief flash of hurt that crossed his face.

“It’s okay, I suppose I can understand that much at least. But that still doesn’t explain why you would keep this from me for so long.”

“Well after I was claimed, I had a little bit of a mental breakdown you could say…I was only 16 at the time, and I was overwhelmed. Even though I knew there was basically a 50% chance that I would be an omega, it was still somewhat of a surprise to me. I mean, my mother is an alpha, my other mother, even though I never met her, was a beta, and my sister is a beta. So despite the odds I was still shocked, and somewhat ashamed that I allowed myself to be claimed like that.” Sanji kept silent, but was slightly surprised. Apparently what he had been feeling wasn’t because he was male, other omegas felt it too. In a way it made him feel slightly better, like he wasn’t completely alone in what he went through. “So at first I wanted to keep it quiet because I was embarrassed, and I made my alpha swear not to tell anyone…after that I slowly got use to the idea, and found myself drawn more and more to the alpha that had claimed me. It wasn’t long after that that we decided to just go ahead and bond. I know we are young, but it just felt right you know? It’s hard to explain…but we were linked, and I just knew that I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else after that.”

There was a slight pang in his chest at her words, but it wasn’t in the way he expected. He had thought he would be devastated hearing that his Nami-swan was clearly in love with someone else…but if anything he felt almost jealous…and not of her alpha. Seriously, what the hell was wrong with him?

“So after my mom yelled at me for about a week for bonding so young, she finally let me out of the house, and that’s when it happened…I was on my way to meet my alpha when I was cornered by a group of about 6 or 7, some betas, but mostly alphas. I really thought that I was dead, when my alpha showed up. He could sense my fear through our bond, and was luckily near by and found me before any of them could touch me.”

Sanji let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. The idea of Nami going through what he had went through was terrifying, and he was beyond relieved that her alpha showed up, just like his…he stopped himself before he could finish that thought. Zoro was NOT his alpha. And he _never_ would be...

“So that’s what I meant before when I said I could understand why Zoro acted the way he did…seeing my alpha lose control like that…it was terrifying, but at the same time, I knew he couldn’t control it, that it was instinct. And despite how scary it was, it also made me feel safe. I knew that he was just trying to protect me and that he would never hurt me. But despite knowing that I had him by my side, I was too scared to leave my house for a while after that. Until Vivi came to visit me…she had already presented as well, so she could smell me, so there was no point in lying to her. I told her everything, and that’s when she first gave me the scent blockers. It still took a while, but I started getting my confidence back, and was pretty much able to go back to normal. But I decided that I would keep the fact that I was an omega on the down low…I don’t really know why. I guess deep down I was still scared. I figured the more people that knew, the more it risked getting out to everyone, and then I would be in danger again…I don’t know, it made sense at the time. But it wasn’t anything personal Sanji, I swear. In fact, you aren’t the only one that didn’t know. Everyone that presented after I did, like Zoro and Usopp, have no idea either…though if we plan to go ahead and form the pack now that all of us have presented, I should probably tell them.”

Sanji stayed silent for a few minutes, allowing everything she had just said sink in. He was still a little hurt, but felt more and more like he could understand why she did what she did. After all, her situation was similar to his in a lot of the same ways…minus the fact that she bonded with the alpha that claimed her…but he could understand her fear, her shame, her desire to keep her secondary gender a secret. In fact if he had access to scent blockers he was sure that he would’ve kept the fact that he was an omega from everyone for as long as he possibly could. So he knew he couldn’t blame her for that.

“I think I understand. I’m sorry for snapping at you before…”

“It’s alright. Considering everything you have been through lately, I can’t really blame you.”

“Thanks…” He smiled, feeling a warmth grow in him when she pulled him forward and wrapped her arms around him. It was strange, he wasn’t flustered like he assumed he would be if he got the opportunity to be this close to Nami…he felt comfortable, almost safe. Not in the same way he felt safe when Zeff hugged him or Zoro (though he hated to admit it)…but safe in a different way. Like he was loved and cared for.

“Is this your first experience with another omega?” She asked sensing his confusion.

“Yeah, everyone at home is either an alpha or beta…” He answered, hating the fact that he was the only omega at the restaurant…other than the random omega customer. He had so far avoided contact with the staff since his heat finished a couple of days ago, and was not looking forward to the teasing that was sure to come. There was no way Patty was just going to let this go…at least he could still kick his ass if he wanted.

“Well you will find that omegas share a special bond. Since we can empathize with each other we are able to comfort each other in away that even our alphas can’t. And alphas also don’t mind when their omega is touched or even scented by another omega, we are the only ones that don’t set off their protective instinct.”

“So your alpha isn’t going to rip my throat out for this?” He joked, which made him realize something else important. Despite Nami telling him why she had kept everything from him, she had yet to tell him who exactly her alpha was. 

“Nope…but knowing him he probably wouldn’t mind even if you were an alpha or beta, since he trusts you as a friend.”

“Who is he?” His brow furrowed in confusion. Surely if she had bonded with someone close to them, he would’ve noticed, right?

“I figured you would have been able to guess by now…”

Sanji began to go over everything she had said. He was an alpha…obviously…and he considered Sanji a friend. There was only a select few people he considered friends, meaning that it had to be one of them. Obviously it wasn’t Kaya, Usopp, Franky, or Robin…they were all betas and all bonded. And she already said that Vivi was another omega, so she was out…plus he was pretty sure Nami didn’t swing that way anyway, not that that stopped the brief visual of Nami and Vivi together that briefly popped into his head…and obviously it wasn’t Zoro…so that only left one person who she could possibly be talking about.

“Seriously!? Luffy is your alpha?!” 

“Is it really that hard to believe?” She smiled, her face heating up slightly. 

He wanted to say yes, because Luffy was an immature man-child that only cared about his stomach, but he stopped himself. He knew that wasn’t true. Despite his personality, Luffy really was a strong, loyal, caring individual that would die before he let anything happen to one of his friends. They all respected and looked up to him, so he knew, despite his initial reaction, that there was no alpha he would trust his Nami-swan to more than Luffy.

“I guess you two have seemed a little closer recently…but I still wouldn’t have guessed it was because you were bonded.”

“Yeah,” she smiled, her affection for the crazy alpha visible. “He was always a fairly touchy person anyway, always jumping all over all of us, so the change probably wasn’t really obvious…although I will have to give him a lecture now. Despite how he trusts his friends, he should know better than to jump on an omega in front of their alpha.”

“He’s not my alpha!” He instantly snapped, cursing himself for raising his voice once again at his precious Nami. What was wrong with him today? First he was frozen in fear and couldn’t step up to stop Luffy and Zoro from fighting, now he had snapped at a woman not only once, but twice. This secondary gender was really messing with his chivalry. 

“I know, I know, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that…though, until the claiming scent wears off, technically he is your alpha…”

“Don’t say that,” Sanji groaned, knowing that she was right. Until Zoro’s scent wore off, or another alpha claimed him, he was technically Zoro’s, though he refused to say that out loud. 

“Right, I won’t mention it again.” She said, pulling away from him, causing Sanji to have to hold back a whimper. He had been enjoying the warmth and feeling of comfort. In fact, talking with, and being close to Nami had made him feel more at peace with himself than he had been since before he presented. He still hadn’t fully accepted it, but the shame he had felt before was slowly beginning to fade away. 

“Want to cut class? We could maybe break into Vivi and Kaya’s school and kidnap them and have a day out…”

“Well after what happened I’m certainly not going back in there today…so the idea of spending the day with three beautiful ladies instead sounds rather appealing.”

“I thought that would cheer you up,” she grinned.

“You know me all too well.” Sanji smiled, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a while. 

Nami linked their arms and began walking, causing Sanji to beam even more. He may not like all the aspects of being an omega, but if it meant that he got to be this close with Nami and other omegas from now on, he thought that maybe he could get use to the idea after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you weren't too disappointed with who Nami's alpha was. I just really love that ship for some reason. And I can't help but believe if Luffy ended up with anyone in the series, which I can't imagine he would, but that it would be Nami. 
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed and that it wasn't a disappointment, and would love to hear your thoughts. I've been trying to spend more time plotting this story, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long for more. Thank you for reading! XD


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro and Sanji finally talk…sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo….I'M ALIVE!!!!
> 
> But seriously, I am very sorry for disappearing the last 2 months. I can't believe it has been that long since I posted. Where does the time go?
> 
> I don't really have a legitimate excuse, other than inspiration kind of left me. It comes in waves and sometimes I can write multiple chapters a week, and than it seems that no matter how hard I try, I can't write a chapter to save my life.
> 
> But I am really sorry. I know it can be frustrating following a story and to be left hanging. I've felt the same way many times myself. I will try and update more often, but it will all depend on whether or not I can work up the inspiration and motivation to do it. But rest assured that I don't plan to ever give up on this story, and that I am going to do my best to update quicker.
> 
> Also I never responded to any comments from the last chapter, but I have read them all, and I really do appreciate everyone of them. Getting any sort of feedback is always a huge help and I appreciate it beyond belief. 
> 
> I wrote this late last night, so I don't know how in love with it I am, but I felt it wasn't too bad, and I really wanted to get something out to you guys. That being said, I hope you're not too disappointed. It certainly isn't the most exciting chapter, but hopefully it's a good starting point and will help me move past this writers block I've had.
> 
> I'm so tired right now, and kind of sick, so I'm sure the beta reading I did wasn't the best…not that it usually is…but hopefully the mistakes are minimal. I feel like I am rambling on so I'll stop now. I hope you enjoy and would love to hear your thoughts.

_Talk…seriously?_ She had some fancy doctorate in archeology or something and _talk to him_ was her profound advice!? He had already screwed up so bad, how was talking to him going to fix anything? He was expecting her to recommend some grand gesture or perhaps maybe volunteer to talk to the blonde herself…it was a well known fact that Sanji would listen to anything Robin had to say, or any woman really, but he seemed to have a deep respect for her especially…but apparently that was ‘immoral’ and it was ‘his problem’ to fix. So despite thinking it was absolutely hopeless, here he was, waiting next to the Baratie, the one place where he knew Sanji couldn’t avoid him.

It had been three days since the incident, and today had been the first day that Sanji had actually showed up at school. It was obvious what the blonde was trying to do, by showing up in the middle of class where there was no way he could try and talk to him. And then after the bell rang, the blonde was the first out of his seat, basically sprinting to his next class. Even at lunch he seemed to disappear somewhere with Nami, and Luffy had strongly suggested that he didn’t try and go look for him, advice, that despite his instincts, he decided to take.

He understood why the omega was trying to avoid him, and he didn’t blame him for it at all. If the roles were reversed than there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that the blonde would be the last person in the world he would want to see. But there was an uncomfortable feeling inside him, one that appeared shortly after dropping Sanji off at the restaurant nearly two weeks ago, and it had been steadily growing since. And after the incident three days ago, it was getting almost painful. He couldn’t sleep, he could barely eat, it was completely consuming him, urging him to fix things, begging him to make things right.

So before his final class ended, he excused himself and snuck off school grounds, making his way downtown. It took him longer than expected to find the odd fish shaped restaurant (perhaps they moved its location since the last time he was here?) but he managed to make it there with time to spare. Now all he had to do was wait until Sanji got home…and then hopefully they could sort things out, and he could get rid of this uncomfortable feeling once and for all.

“What are you doing here moss-head?” A voice spoke out of nowhere, causing him to jolt with surprise.

He didn’t need to turn around to know who was behind him, there was no way he would forget that scent anytime soon. Though it was remarkably less aggressive than it was the last time…

“Ummm…” He muttered, turning around to see the older alpha glaring at him with his arms crossed. His scent may be less aggressive, but he certainly didn’t look happy to see him. 

“Well?”

“I’m here to talk to curly-br…Sanji.” He started before quickly correcting himself. He knew he was already on thin ice, no reason to risk making it any thinner.

“And why exactly did you need to come here to do that? Do you not go to the same school?”

“He may, or may not, have been avoiding me.” He answered, figuring there was really no point in lying. He wasn’t sure exactly how close Sanji was to this alpha, but there was a good chance that the old man already knew everything that had happened.

“So you figured the best solution was to ambush him at home?” He asked, raising one of his bushy eyebrows in question. 

“Umm…yes sir…”

To his surprise the old man barked with laughter, apparently amused with his answer.

“You got some balls kid,” he chuckled, “and normally I would boot your ass out of here right now. But the brat has been moping around the last three days, so it’s about time he faces his problem head on. Just one word of advice…”

“Yeah…” Zoro said hesitantly, seeing the amusement on his face turning a little darker. 

“Don’t underestimate him just because he is an omega. For your own safety…keep your guard up.”

“I’m fully aware of his abilities. I’ve had fractured ribs to prove it.”

“Good.” The older man nodded, before disappearing behind the door once again.

That actually went better than he had expected…but there was something about the way he said to keep his guard up. A feeling of dread began rising up inside of him…this may turn out to be a lot more complicated than he had thought.

…

Finally the day was over…and without a doubt it had been one of the most awkward days of his life. It was nothing compared to what happened on Monday, but still. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him all day, and hear them whispering amongst themselves. It was difficult, but he knew the longer he avoided it, the worse it would be. At least he had managed to avoid Zoro all day, which made things slightly easier.

He could tell that the alpha had wanted to talk to him, constantly sensing him trying to catch up to him in the hallway. But he was smaller and more agile than the green-haired brute, and could weave through the other students at a much faster rate. And than with the help of his precious Nami-swan, he was able to avoid him at lunch as well.

The redheaded omega had truly been a god send these last couple of days. Her, Vivi, and himself had hung out everyday since the incident, causing him to feel more comfortable and confident than he ever thought he could be as an omega. He still had these waves of insecurity, like at school today with all the stares and whispers, but those waves were coming less and less often.

A small smile appeared on his face thinking about the other two omegas, but quickly disappeared when a familiar scent caught his nose. He wasn’t serious was he? Couldn’t that idiot take a hint! All he wanted to do was go home and lose himself in some cooking…but apparently that was too much to ask…

He rounded the corner, where an all too familiar green-haired moron came into sight. His blood began to boil just looking at him, and had to use all his will power to keep himself from attacking.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” He hissed, his eyes narrowing.

“I want to talk to you.” Zoro replied, standing his ground, despite the frightening aura the other boy was emitting.

“Well I don’t want to talk to you.” Sanji replied, doing his best to keep his voice even. He made his way to the side door, only to find his path being blocked. 

“We need to! This silence between us has gone on long enough.” Zoro stood his ground, though he could feel the thin ice he was on slowly begin to break.

“Go home Zoro…”

“No! Not until you hear me out!” An eerie calm fell over the back alley, Sanji looking up at him with a disturbing smile. 

“Alright, I’ll hear you out.”

“Really?” Zoro asked slowly, his instincts telling him to stay alert.

“Really…” Sanji smirked, “just be ready to dodge if you happen to say something I don’t like.”

“What do you…” His words were cut off as he managed to avoid the kick at the last second. The blonde’s foot kept going, smashing into the brick wall that had been behind him. Instead of crying out in pain, which any normal person would do, he didn’t even flinch as he slowly pulled his foot away from the now crumbling stone.

“I’m listening marimo…”

“I-I’m sorry,” he was more ready for it this time, jumping back quickly, nearly stumbling at the fast movement, but was able to maintain his balance. “What the hell could I have possibly said wrong?” He barked, starting to get increasingly frustrated himself. What the hell was the curly-brow’s problem?! Couldn’t he see he was trying to make things right?

Instead of answering, Sanji sent another kick his way, which was of course dodged as well. Zoro had great reflexes, that wasn’t a secret to him, so he knew it wouldn’t be so simple. But there was something different about the way he was moving…he was all defense, when normally he would’ve been going on the offensive by now.

“Aww, is the big, bad, alpha too scared to fight me like a man?” He asked, his tone mocking, causing a flash of something to cross the other boy’s face. 

“I just wanted to talk…” Zoro tried yet again, his frustration increasing when another foot was sent flying his way. “I’m not going to fight you Sanji!” He growled, far more aggressively than he meant to, causing the other boy to take a step back.

He didn’t need to see the flash of hurt on the blonde’s face to know that he had screwed up once more. 

“You never would’ve hesitated to fight me before,” Sanji mumbled, feeling an uncomfortable lump to begin to form in his throat. It hurt…it really hurt…he just didn’t know why. Zoro was an idiot! That wasn’t news to him. So why did he care? 

_Because out of everyone…he was the one person I thought would never look at me differently, would never treat me differently…_

“What?” Zoro asked hesitantly, not quite hearing what the other boy had said, but sensing a change in his aura. 

“Zoro, YOU IDIOT!” He cried, lunging forward fiercely, no longer holding himself back.

Zoro barely had time to blink, let along process what was happening. Luckily his reflexes kicked in subconsciously, otherwise there was a fairly good chance that his jaw would currently be broken. He barely had time to think again as another powerful kick came flying his way, but knew that he wasn’t going to have any choice but to change his tactic. He grabbed the other boy’s ankle, stopping the force of the kick, though it came at a price. A pain shot through his hand and up his arm. 

He took a few breaths, trying to calm the anger that was currently threatening to take over. He shoved the other boy away, before he snapped and did something he would regret. 

Sanji stumbled from the force of the push, but was quickly able to correct his balance. Something began bubbling up inside of him, an excitement he hadn’t felt in weeks. A smile spread across his face, as his heart began to pound in his chest. 

Zoro saw as something changed in the other boy’s eyes…he was no longer angry, or at least not entirely angry…there was almost a look of joy spreading across his face. His scent reflected that as well. That’s when he realized what was happening, what the blonde wanted. He didn’t want Zoro to talk things out with him; he wanted him to prove something. To prove that he didn’t see him as some weak omega…to prove that he saw him the same way he did before all of this started. 

“Fine,” Zoro smirked, “if you want to fight, I will give you a fight...”

“It’s about time.” Sanji smirked back. He could tell by the change in Zoro’s body language that he was finally taking this seriously. This was certainly going to be interesting…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it. Not the most exciting, but it's something! And at least there is finally some interaction between these two. I would love to hear any thoughts, as well as any recommendations. I basically have the major plot points planned, but I am terrible at writing filler and building up to the major plot points. I tend to rush things in stories and really don't want that to happen here. So any ideas for any cute, or not so cute, filler I am all ears. Thanks for reading, and hopefully you will be hearing from me soon!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry for making you guys wait so long. Time seems to go by so quickly…it's like one day I post, and then poof! Two months disappear. I don't have any real excuses other than continuous writers block…and last month I actually went abroad to Japan for a month. Even though I did have some down time when I was there, I was so busy the majority of the time that I didn't even think about writing. So I do apologize! Now that I am back home and slowly getting settled, I am hoping to be able to write more…
> 
> I wrote this chapter in the airport while I was waiting for my flight, and decided to sit on it for a few days until I got over my jet leg. But I have been back for about 48 hours now and have slept maybe 4 hours…needless to say my proof reading skills and my ability to judge whether or not this is even a good chapter are impaired at the moment. I was going to wait until after a good night sleep to post this, but seeing as that doesn't seem like it's going to happen anytime soon, I decided what the hell! Hopefully it's alright and my sleep deprived brain isn't deluding me.
> 
> I'll stop rambling now because I really do need to try and sleep…which sucks because I'm Canadian and today is Canada day (happy 150th birthday Canada! Shout out to any other Canadians out there that might be reading this) so I'm basically going to miss any sort of celebration because I am literally a zombie right now. 
> 
> So in summary, I apologize for the wait, I'll try and write more once I'm no longer a zombie, and I really hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think. Any feedback is always appreciated.  
> ...

He had decided to start fighting seriously, but getting the upper hand and taking control of this fight, was easier said than done. He had always known that Sanji was fast and strong, but the rate that the attacks were coming now made him believe that the blonde had been holding back all this time.

“Come on Marimo, I thought you were going to take this seriously!” Sanji shouted, Zoro narrowly dodging a leg that literally dented a solid metal dumpster that had been behind him. Thankfully his leg seemed to be temporarily stuck in the dent it made, finally giving Zoro a moment to catch his breath. 

“I’m definitely taking this seriously cook,” Zoro bit back, once he was a safe distance away, his mind struggling to come up with a strategy. When it came to fighting, Zoro felt naked without his swords. 

It wasn’t as if he couldn’t hold his own in a hand to hand fight, his monster strength being somewhat legendary around town, but that was when he was fighting normal people. And some of his friends, including Sanji and Luffy, were anything but normal. So with no weapon in hand, and Sanji out for blood, he was beginning to not like his chances.

Sanji finally freed his leg from the dumpster, ignoring the old geezer’s voice in the back of his head nagging him about having to pay for any damage, as he lunged across the alley toward the green haired teen, who once again jumped out of the way at the last second. He growled in frustration, feeling as his anger began to intensify. Why wasn’t the Marimo standing his ground and fighting him? He said he would take it seriously, but was the moss-headed alpha still treating him like some sort of weak, pathetic creature that wasn’t worth his time? And even if that was the case, why couldn’t he get a hit in? He was leaner and more agile than Zoro, he should be able to keep up and get a hit in regardless. His vision began to cloud, his rage consuming him.

“YOU SAID YOU WOULD FIGHT ME!” He roared, lunging at him again. The kick came so close this time that it actually grazed the side of Zoro’s thigh, causing the older teen to hiss in pain. If his reflexes had been any slower, that kick would’ve likely shattered his femur. 

Sanji barely looked human any more as he continued his barrage of attacks, his rage and inner animal clearly in control. He hadn’t realized omega’s could lose it and go feral like alphas…but clearly that was the case.

“WHY ARE YOU RUNNING!? WHY AREN’T YOU FIGHTING ME LIKE YOU USE TO! I AM NOT WEAK! I AM NOT WEAK!” He cried. 

“Dammit cook, I know you’re not we…” But his words were cut off, as Sanji faked an attack, anticipating his dodge, and tackling him to the ground. His back hit the pavement hard, and the wind was knocked out of him. But struggling to refill his lungs with air was really the least of his problems, as the first fist smashed into the side of his face. The power behind the punch was incredible, and here Zoro thought that it was only the cook’s legs that he had to fear. 

The next punch came quickly after, followed by a sickening crack. But whether that crack was his cheekbone or the cook’s hand he wasn’t sure, the side of his face already being completely numb. He had to stop this, and now, before the cook did something he would regret in his feral state. Such as break one of his precious hands that he cherished so much.

He shut down any lingering instincts that were telling him to hold back, and not harm the omega he claimed, and caught the cook’s wrist before his fist could smash into his face for a third time. 

On the ground, he finally had the upper hand, no longer having to worry about the cook’s freaky legs. He brought his left fist around, catching the blonde off guard when he punched him in the jaw. The move seemed to momentarily stun the younger teen, giving Zoro the opportunity to flip them over, so Sanji was now lying with his back on the cold concrete, and Zoro was straddling his hips, pinning both the cook’s hands above his head.

“LET ME GO YOU BASTARD!” Sanji screamed, thrashing desperately, trying to break the hold the older boy had on him. His cloudy mind began to clear, as the reality of his position began to sink in.

 _No, no, no…_ He internally cried. This wasn’t how it was suppose to end. He was suppose to prove that he was just as strong as Zoro. That no matter what that they could still stand together as equals. But was that no longer a possibility? Would he forever be one step behind Zoro, Luffy, his brothers, and every other alpha that walked this earth?

“I’m not weak, I’m not…I’m…I’m…” The anger faded from his voice, the words dying on his tongue, as an increasingly familiar stinging began form in the back of his eyes. 

“You’re an omega,” Zoro finished for him, not missing how the other boy flinched at his words. “But omega doesn’t mean weak.”

“Yeah right,” Sanji snorted. “That would be a lot more convincing if you hadn’t just beat me.”

“You call this beating you? You controlled this entire fighting, not giving me the chance to get a hit in.”

“You weren’t fighting seriously…you ran…”

“I ran cause I didn’t want to end up like that dumpster over there!”

Sanji cringed, seeing how mangled the dumpster was. Had he actually done that? Was that even possible? He was totally going to have to work for months to pay that off…

“You were in full blown animal mode. If I hadn’t run, I would’ve died!”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Tell that to the dumpster.”

Sanji snorted, rolling his eyes. “That doesn’t change the fact that I lost.”

“You never actually beat me in a fight before either of us presented, it was always a draw…which is what I’m counting this fight as well. So I don’t know why you seem so devastated over the fact that you can’t magically beat me now when you’ve never beaten me before.”

“You don’t get it…” Sanji sighed, groaning in frustration. “Fuck, I don’t even get it! I respect women, especially omega women, so much! So one minute I feel like I’m finally accepting this because not to accept this would be like insulting Nami and Vivi, and every other omega woman out there…but then the next minute I feel so weak, so inferior, so…so scared.” He whispered the last part, beyond embarrassed for admitting it out loud, but a part of him, a part he couldn’t seem to control was desperate for someone to understand, for Zoro to understand…

“Your right, I don’t get it, but I think I can sort of understand.”

“How could you?”

Zoro sighed, he hated talking about this, he hated even thinking about it, but if there was even the smallest possibility that it could help the cook…than maybe it would be worth it.

“Did you know I had a sister.” Zoro started, seeing the surprised look on the cook’s face that let him know that he hadn’t. In fact, he wasn’t sure that any of his friends knew about Kuina, other than Luffy, which caused a flash of guilt inside him. It wasn’t as if he wanted to keep her a secret it was just too painful…

“She was an omega…she was also the strongest person I knew. She was into kendo just like me, and out of the two thousand times we faced each other, do you know how many times she beat me?” Sanji shook his head, staying silent, waiting for Zoro to continue. “Two thousand times…I never beat her once. And most of those fights occurred after she presented as an omega.”

Sanji would be lying if he said he wasn’t surprised. The idea of anyone beating someone like Zoro 2000 times seemed impossible, let alone a female omega (not that he thought they were inferior, but physically next to Zoro it was hard to believe)…was Zoro lying? Was he just trying to make him feel better? He was about to call him on his bullshit when he stopped himself. Seeing something in Zoro’s expression. Something vulnerable…

“You said she _was_ an omega…” Sanji began slowly, not sure if he was sticking his nose into something that wasn’t his business. And based on the pain written across the other boy’s face, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to know, but for some reason couldn’t seem to stop himself from asking. “What happened?”

“She was so strong, so stubborn, and at times so infuriating. She refused to let the fact that she was a girl or an omega get in her way of achieving her goals. And refused to rely on anyone. Including when it came to her heats. Four times a year she would disappear into her room for a week, and we wouldn’t hear a single sound from her.”

“Seriously? Not a single sound? And she wasn’t taking suppressants or anything?” Sanji blurted out before he could stop himself. After the pain he had experienced, he couldn’t begin to imagine how someone could suffer through that, heat after heat, with absolutely no ‘assistance’. 

“Nope. Our father even saved up for them, but she refused to take them…she said it would be like admitting defeat.”

“Wow…” Was all Sanji could say. Within the first minute of his heat, he would’ve literally killed for suppressants. To refuse them like that…he was beginning to believe what Zoro said before. If his sister was strong enough to deal with her heats like that, then he definitely could believe that she was strong enough to beat Zoro in 2000 fights.

“Yeah…but it made her careless, and over confident. Just because she could handle her heats without help didn’t mean that they didn’t still effect alphas…if she had only taken the suppressants, then none of it would’ve ever have happened...” Zoro’s voice cracked, squeezing his eyes shut, trying desperately to compose himself.

Sanji froze, feeling his heart begin to beat faster, and a sense of sadness and anger building up inside of him. He hadn’t even heard what happened yet but he was already shaken by it. As if…as if he could feel what Zoro was feeling, but he knew that was impossible. Only bonded couples with the strongest of connections shared emotions like that. He could only assume that he was picking up on the pain Zoro was clearly in, and his heightened sense of sympathy as an omega was kicking in.

“She was walking home from university, and went into an early heat. A group of alphas found her and…”

“Stop!” Sanji cried, beginning to feel slightly nauseous just thinking about it. It didn’t take a genius to realize what Zoro had been about to say, and even though he had been the one to ask, he no longer wanted to hear it. 

“She couldn’t handle what happened…it broke her.” Zoro continued, skipping over the part that Sanji clearly didn’t want to hear. Which he understood considering what nearly happened to him a couple of weeks ago. But now that he had started telling her story, he felt compelled to finish it. After keeping what happened bottled up for so long, he needed to get the words out. He needed somebody else other than his father and Luffy to know. He needed Sanji to know. 

“I tried to help, but there was n-nothing I could do. One m-morning I found her s-she…she had used her most prized sword and…” Zoro’s voice cracked again, the memory of finding her in a pool of her own blood flashed behind his eyes. His whole body began shaking, which was when he realized that he was still lying on top of Sanji. He quickly let go of the blonde’s wrist, and went to roll off of him, only to be stopped, as the blonde sat up, throwing his arms around him without a second thought.

The move caught Zoro off guard, causing him to freeze in surprise momentarily. Even Sanji who had been the one to hug him was surprised at his own actions. A few minutes ago he had been trying to break the moss head into tiny little pieces, now here he was, wrapping his arms around him and rubbing soothing circles into his back. But seeing Zoro in so much pain caused him to snap, and his body moved before he even realized what he was doing. 

“I’m sorry Zoro, I had no idea…” Sanji whispered, tightening his hold on Zoro as the older teen continued to shake.

After a few minutes Zoro began to relax into the hold; the cooks scent and touch having a calming affect. He felt such a sense of relief and comfort in that moment that it frightened him a little. Nobody had ever been able to make him feel so safe, not his father, not Luffy, not even his sister back when she was alive…there was just something so right about this, that he never wanted to let go. But he knew that the cook was just being nice, and after relishing in the comfort for a few more minutes, he reluctantly pulled away. The last thing he wanted was for Sanji to start feeling like he was taking advantage of him.

“I’m sorry,” Zoro muttered, quickly wiping his face to get rid of any evidence of his break down. 

“You don’t have to be sorry. It’s understandable…I can’t even imagine the pain of losing someone like that. I lost my mother when I was a kid, but she had been sick for so long…I know it’s not the same.”

“I didn’t know that. I’m sorry cook.” Zoro said, his instincts compelling him to hold Sanji again, seeing the flash of pain on his face. But they were finally talking again, not only that but they were sharing things with each other that neither of them would usually consider sharing with anyone else, and he didn’t want to lose the progress they were making.

“Yeah, me too…” Sanji whispered, a silence falling between them. Both stayed quiet as they tried to process everything that had just happened. 

Zoro couldn’t believe that he had finally managed to get Sanji to talk to him, and that he actually shared his most painful memory with the blonde. And Sanji couldn’t believe the same thing. He had been so angry at Zoro. Furious. He wanted nothing to do with the green haired bastard again. He would just wait for the claiming to wear off, and then move on with his life, pretending that nothing had ever happened between them. 

But now…he couldn’t quite explain it. It wasn’t as if he was happy that he was claimed by the Marimo and that he wanted to run off into the sunset with him, bond with him, and have his pups…the last thought causing him to shudder…but all the anger, embarrassment, and frustration he had about the older teen seemed to have disappeared. Something about seeing Zoro vulnerable and open up to him like that got to him. And after hearing his story, and knowing that Zoro obviously respected omegas and saw them as equals (having lost 2000 fights with one) caused such a sense of relief to wash over him. 

One of his biggest fears about his new second gender were that the people closest to him were going to start treating him differently, that they were going to view him as weak and pathetic. But he was beginning to realize that that fear was unfounded, and so far those he cared about had really treated him differently at all…other than the slightly awkward talk following his heat, Zeff never brought up the fact that he was an omega, and still barked orders at him in the kitchen like always. Usopp, Kaya, Franky, and Robin, also have never really brought up the subject at all, a fact that he was eternally grateful for. And even though he no longer jumped on him anymore (considering what had happened the last time he tried) Luffy would still joke around with him and demand food like he always did. The only thing that slightly changed was how he interacted with Nami and Vivi…the three of them had naturally grown closer, bonding over the fact that they were omegas…but this change was one he certainly would never complain about. And then there was the Marimo…he was convinced after what happened between them that things could never be the same. And what happened at school the first day only cemented this idea in his mind.

He hated to admit it, but the idea that the Marimo could think of him as inferior hurt more than if anybody else had thought it. Even if Luffy, who he looked up to as his leader, looked down on him wouldn’t have hurt as much as Zoro. Zoro was his rival, his equal, the one he could always count on to protect the others if he wasn’t around, he was…he was… _he was special_. His brain finished for him and was instantly embarrassed at his own thoughts, a fact that didn’t seem to escape the other boy.

“You okay curly-brow? Your face just went red…” 

“It did not you idiot!” He snapped, mentally cursing his face for betraying him. “I’m just a little tired…” 

“Probably because you basically went feral earlier.” 

“Huh?” Sanji grunted in surprise, having expected the other teen to make some sort of snide comment.

“Well it’s just…that time in the alley that I went all animal…I was a little extra tired for a couple days. It seems losing control like that can take it out of you.” Zoro explained, but instantly regretted bringing up the alley. He didn’t want Sanji to ever have to think about that night again.

“I see. That must be it…” 

Another silence fell between them, this one lasting a little longer. Eventually both got up, without saying a word, heading over to where their school bags and jackets were abandoned when the fight had started. They finished sorting through their things when Sanji finally broke the silence.

“Thank you Zoro.”

“For what?” The older teen asked, completely caught off guard by the sincerity in the blonde’s words. After everything he had put Sanji through, why would he possibly be thanking him? He should be the one thanking Sanji for not breaking every bone in his body…

“For being the same moss-headed moron that you always are.” Sanji smiled, possibly his first true smile since he had presented. The effect of which was Zoro’s face turning red as he realized how his heart rate picked up at the sight. Why did seeing Sanji happy make him feel so…so…

“You okay Marimo? Your face just went red…” His smile morphed into a smirk, as he repeated the other teen’s words from earlier.

“It is not!” It was Zoro’s turn to snap, causing the blonde to laugh. The sound of the younger teen laughing only caused the strange feeling inside Zoro to get worse. _Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me?_ “In case you forgot curly brow, you did hit me in the face a couple of times. I’m pretty sure you cracked something, so of course my face is turning red!”

“Oh shit, that’s right. I hope my knuckles don’t swell up or anything.” Sanji said, examining his hands, “If I can’t cook because of you stupid face, then I will have to break it all over again.”

“Like you could…” Zoro scoffed. A far more familiar feeling of irritation joining the other unknown feeling still stirring with in him.

“I’ll take that as a challenge.” Sanji couldn’t help as another smile spread across his face. It felt so good to be able to argue and threaten the Marimo back and forth like they use to do. Like nothing had change.

“You’re on cook.” Zoro nodded, before turning around and leaving the alley without another word. It might have been considered rude, but he knew Sanji wouldn’t want a long drawn out goodbye, and honestly…he wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to last. Seeing the cook smile again caused that damn feeling to intensify, causing him to almost feel sick to his stomach. He really didn’t understand what the hell was wrong with him…

Meanwhile back in the alley, Sanji was still beaming, but whether it was because he and the Marimo seemed to get passed their issues and argue just like always, or because of how adorably flustered the other teen seemed to get, he wasn’t sure. _Adorably…now there’s a term I never thought I would use with the moss-head…_

“You okay eggplant? Your face is turning red…” Zeff chuckled, seeing Sanji jump nearly three feet in the air in surprise, before turning around and glaring at him.

“It is not you stupid old geezer!” Sanji practically shrieked, pushing past the old alpha and retreating back into his room on the second level of the Baratie. Once the door was locked, and he was sure he was alone, he let out a string of curses, before hiding his face in his hands and sinking to the floor. 

As embarrassing as it was getting caught flustered, not once, but twice, was nothing compared to how horrifying it was to think about exactly why he had gotten flustered in the first place. _What the hell is wrong with me…_ He internally groaned. And just when he thought things could finally go back to normal, karma decided to once again be a complete and utter bitch.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank everyone for their wonderful comments, I appreciate them all! And I am beyond pleased that it has barely been a week and I'm already posting something. That must be some sort of record, haha.
> 
> Originally this was part of a much larger chapter, but I am currently struggling to finish that chapter. So I thought that this part seemed like it could be posted separately. That way you guys get a little taste of what is to come, and it buys me more time to finish the other chapter properly. But because this was originally the opening of another chapter it is fairly short, so my apologies for that. 
> 
> Anywho, please enjoy!  
> ...

Both teens were exhausted, panting heavily, the fight having been going on for hours now, neither willing to back down. 

“Your looking tired cook, why don’t you admit defeat before you pass out?”

“Like you look much better moss-head, you look about ready to puke!” 

“If I do puke it’s only because I’ve had to look at that ugly face of yours for so long.”

“Yeah right, you love me and you know it.” Sanji scoffed, expecting the idiot to come up with some snarky remark but was confused when he stayed silent instead, and jumped right into the next attack. 

The Marimo’s moves were sluggish, his exhaustion apparent, and despite the fact that he was also exhausted, he was still quicker and was easily able to dodge the fist that came flying in his face. He jumped backwards, almost doing a back flip as he landed on his hands and was able to swing one of his legs around with enough force to knock the older teen on his ass. But before Sanji could smirk and celebrate his victory, his exhaustion caught up with him and he lost balance. He tried to fall away from the other teen, but gravity seemed to have other ideas and he ended up falling right on top of him.

“Fuck…” Zoro grunted at the pain of the impact, but was too exhausted to make any sort of move to get the extra weight off of him. 

“I w-win moss-head,” Sanji panted, trying to lift himself off the other teen, but found that he couldn’t. That last attack had been too much, and after hours of fighting all of his limbs felt like jelly. 

“Don’t think so curly,” Zoro said, before wrapping his arms around the blonde’s waist. Sanji was about to ask him what the hell he was doing, when the older teen used the last of his strength to flip them over. Sanji was now lying with his back on the ground, with Zoro directly on top of him. “Now who won?” He teased.

“Bastard! This doesn’t count! I still won!” Sanji huffed, trying in vain to push the larger boy off of him, which he doubt he could do even if he did have any strength left. Zoro was so heavy, he had such big muscles for a high school kid it was ridiculous. Even through their clothes he could feel the firmness of each and every muscle pressing into him. It was a strange feeling…he thought he would hate it, he definitely should hate it, yet he felt so…safe.

“What are you thinking about?” Zoro suddenly asked, causing Sanji to snap out of his horrifyingly embarrassing thoughts. 

“W-why would you ask me that?” Sanji stuttered out, cursing himself for not being able to keep his voice even. He just prayed that his face didn’t look as red as it currently felt.

“I don’t know. You just looked pissed off one second and then you looked almost…I don’t know, scared maybe? I’m not hurting you am I?” Zoro asked, propping himself up on one of his arms to take most his body weight off of the smaller teen.

“Like you could ever hurt me…” Sanji tried to scoff, but there wasn’t as much sass behind it as he intended. He felt very cold all of a sudden…

“I would never hurt you. At least not on purpose.” Zoro confessed, causing Sanji’s heart to start pounding in his chest. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Why would he say something like that out of nowhere? Why was his heart beating so damn fast? It didn’t make sense, none of it made sense…

“Sanji I…” Zoro started but trailed off before he could finish, averting his eyes from the blonde.

“You what?” Sanji urged, finding himself wanting…no, needing to know what the green-haired teen was about to say. 

Zoro looked back towards him, looking beyond nervous, bring one of his slightly sweaty hands to the side of Sanji’s face. 

Sanji froze at the contact, all of a sudden finding that he wasn’t able to breathe. What was going on? What was he going to do?

“Sanji I…” His words trailed off again, but instead of looking away, he continued to look him right in the eyes, his face for some reason getting closer. What was happening? Was the Marimo really about to…but why? Why wasn’t he stopping it? Why wasn’t he pushing him away? Why did his heart feel like it was about to explode?

Sanji could now taste the other teen’s breath he was so close. Just another inch or two and their lips would meet. But that was crazy…they were friends, rivals at best. And rivals didn’t kiss each other. There was no way…

Zoro began moving again, he was so close now. Sanji held his breath and closed his eyes, waiting for the warmth against his lips. A warmth that never came… 

Sanji jerked awake, breathing heavily, as he looked around the room confused. Where was he? And where did Zoro go? It took him a few seconds to realize he was in his room at the Baratie, and that everything that had just happened was nothing more than a dream. 

A dream...a dream about Zoro…a dream about Zoro that didn’t end with Sanji beating the other teen bloody, which is how is dreams about Zoro usually end.

“What the fuck,” Sanji groaned, hiding his face in his hands in embarrassment. That DID NOT just happen. He REFUSED to believe that it did. He would just go about his day like nothing happened, because NOTHING did happen. He would get up, shower, get dressed, and head down into the kitchen to help start breakfast, just like he did every other day. Because today was like every other day because NOTHING happened…

_Nope, nothing happened at all. Me and the Marimo made amends last night, and then afterwards I had a peaceful, dreamless, sleep…yup that is all._ He kept repeating to himself as he got out of bed to start his day, ignoring that fact that it was only three in the morning, and that just like in his dream, his heart was beating far too quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't I just a tease? I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> The other chapter is almost done, so hopefully you won't have to wait longer than a few days for it. In the meantime I would love to hear any thoughts XD
> 
> Next chapter they will be back at school and Sanji will be trying to cope with the dream that he definitely DIDN'T have. :D


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter, I appreciate it! And I hope you all enjoy this chapter :D  
> ...

“Hey Sanji, are you alright?” Nami tugged at his sleeve to get his attention, snapping him out of the trance like state he had slipped into.

“Huh?” He asked, rubbing his tired eyes. After getting lectured by Zeff at three in the morning for making so much noise at such an ungodly hour, he wasn’t able to get back to sleep. He just lay awake in bed, NOT thinking about the dream that he DEFINTELY didn’t have. 

“I said are you alright? You look like you haven’t slept or something.” Nami asked with concern in her voice, which would usually send Sanji off cooing about how touched he was that his precious Nami-swan was so concerned, but right now he didn’t have the energy for that.

“Yeah…I had a bad dream I guess,” Sanji groaned, as flashes of the dream began coming back to him. Where did that even come from? It wasn’t like he ever thought about the Marimo, or any other man for that matter, in that way before…his heat not included…and he was quite content staring adoringly at all the beautiful women of the world. So why then, out of nowhere, would he have such an intimate dream about another man?! And about the Marimo no less…was it because of how they sorted things out the night before? Because the Marimo was the last person he saw before he went to bed, so therefore his mind just held on to his image? Maybe that was it…he was sure if Nami-swan or Robin or Vivi were the last person he saw before going to bed then his dream would’ve been very, very different.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Nami asked, sensing a bit of distress from the other omega. She would’ve pulled him into a comforting embrace if it weren’t for the fact that they were currently in the middle of chemistry. So she settled for placing her hand on top of his on their shared lab table.

“That last thing I want to do is talk about that…” He answered honestly, wishing that he could just forget it already. Really, it wasn’t like it was that big of a deal…it wasn’t like it was some hardcore sex dream that had him waking up with wet sheets. It was so much more innocent then that…but the innocence of it was probably what was so disturbing. Maybe it was just another omega thing? Something that his biology forced him to experience and that it was completely beyond his control?

“Hey, Nami…” He started, unsure of how continue. 

“Yes.” She said after a few moments of silence, giving his hand a gentle squeeze in encouragement. She could tell that something was seriously bothering her friend, and ever since he had presented as an omega she had felt extra protective over him. She knew he was a strong man; no secondary gender was ever going to change that. But still, there were things about being an omega, certain emotions and feelings that one simply couldn’t escape, and she knew personally how hard it was. And that’s only speaking from her own personal experience as a female omega, what Sanji must be going through as a male omega could only be ten times worse. So she felt it was her duty to help him in anyway she possibly could, not only as a friend, but also as their potential future packs head omega.

“Did you ever…I mean before you and Luffy bonded, but after you were claimed…did you ever…” Sanji trailed off, burying his head in his hands, never wanting to look up. What the hell was he trying to ask? Did you ever have intimate dreams about Luffy that meant nothing? And what answer was he hoping to hear? They ended up bonding after all…and it wasn’t like she was stupid, if he were to ask what he was trying to ask, than she would instantly see right through him… 

Just when he thought he was trapped, and that he would be forced to elaborate on his half formed question, fate finally decided to cut him a break and the bell indicating the end of class rung. It was like music to his ears, like the angels themselves were singing. He wasted no time in gathering his things and bolting from the classroom, ignoring the calls from his precious Nami-swan from behind him. Did he feel bad? Terribly…but would he rather feel guilty or avoid this conversation? Well the speed at which he managed to get from the classroom to his locker on the opposite side of the school should answer that.

He looked both ways, seeing no sign of the fiery omega, who he was sure tried to follow him, and breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe. Now he could just quickly grab his lunch and go find a private corner of the school and hideaway for the next hour and try and forget everything. Forget about the humiliating conversation he almost had with his precious Nami-swan, and forget the dream that caused this all. The dream that he definitely DIDN’T have involving that moss-head…

“Hey curly-brow,” A deep voice spoke, causing him to jump and drop his lunch. And just when he thought karma had finally cut him a break… 

“Shit, sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Zoro said apologetically, seeing all the cook’s food now scattered all over the hall floor. If it was anybody else he would probably just shrug it off and move on, but since it was the cook, he could only imagine the time and energy he put into making that lunch, and instantly felt guilty.

“You didn’t scare me,” Sanji sighed, picking up his broken bento, avoiding eye contact with the other boy the whole time.

“Sure I didn’t…you just decided to jump five feet in the air for fun.” He teased, but didn’t receive the snappy comeback he was expecting. In fact, Sanji wasn’t even looking at him…what was going on? Normally the cook would’ve smashed his face in by now for not only ruining his lunch, but also implying that he had scared him…instead he was just standing their silently, obviously avoiding looking at him.

What was happening? Was Sanji mad at him about something? But hadn’t they worked everything out yesterday? Didn’t he make it clear to Sanji that he didn’t view him differently because he was an omega? That they were still equals and that they could put the whole thing behind them…so why did he seem so upset right now? 

“I can buy you lunch in the cafeteria if you want…I’m sure it isn’t half as good as whatever you were about to eat was but at least it’s something.” Zoro offered, only to receive more silence. Seriously what the hell did he do? He didn’t understand…

“There you are!” Nami panted, bending over with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. Man Sanji was fast…

“Oh Nami-swan, there you are, I was just looking for you.” Sanji suddenly said, catching the red haired girl off guard.

“Huh? What?”

“We were going to go for lunch right?” Sanji said, hoping Nami would catch on to his tone. As much as he wanted to avoid elaborating on the conversation he had with Nami earlier, he wanted to avoid facing Zoro even more.

He knew it probably wasn’t fair of him…it wasn’t the Marimo’s fault after all (though he was sure he could come up with some way to blame him) and after they had just made amends it probably was a little confusing. Things were supposed to go back to normal, not get even more complicated. But he just couldn’t bring himself to face him, not yet…

“Oh right…I almost forgot.” Nami said slowly, seeing that Sanji was clearly uncomfortable, and that he needed an excuse to get out of there. Did Zoro do something? She would have to make sure to give him a firm kick in the balls later if she finds out that he did something stupid to upset Sanji again. 

“Alright then, let’s go. See you later Zoro!” Sanji quickly said, linking arms with Nami and dragging her off before Zoro could even process what just happened.

_Nami was carrying a rather large bento…why would they both have bentos on them if they were planning on going somewhere for lunch anyways?_ Zoro sighed, it was obviously a cover, and a shitty cover at that. But what did he do wrong? He hadn’t even seen Sanji since last night, having no classes with him in the morning. So having had no contact with him, how could he have possibly screwed things up? 

It was so frustrating. If last nights conversation wasn’t enough to set things right between them then what would it take? He just wanted to be able to be around the cook again…he would never admit that out loud, and certainly never to the blonde himself…but he missed him. He missed sparring with him, he missed teasing him, and he missed being near him…

He just wanted…he just wanted…well he wasn’t really sure what he wanted, but he knew that this awkward distance that wouldn’t seem to go away wasn’t it.

“Hey Zoro, have you seen Nami?” Luffy asked, coming down the hall with Usopp.

“Yeah, she left somewhere for lunch with Sanji.”

“WHAT!? BUT SHE HAS MY BENTOOOOOOOO!” Luffy cried, earning him a strange stare from everybody in the hallway. 

“Let’s just go to the cafeteria,” Zoro sighed, knowing that until Luffy got a chance to eat he was going to be unbearable. Plus leaving the hallway, where remnants of Sanji’s scent still lingered, would be a welcome distraction from his increasingly confusing thoughts.

“A’light, lef’s go,” Luffy said with his mouth full.

“He just said we were going to the cafeteria Luffy! Stop eating the food off the ground!” Usopp cringed as the alpha shrugged and continued to stuff his face.

Zoro couldn’t help but smirk…at least the cook would be happy to know that his lunch didn’t go to waste after all.

…

“So, are you ready to tell me what that was all about?” Nami asked, setting the large bento aside, as they waited for their food…man Luffy was going to be pissed…

“Whatever do you mean Nami dearest?” He tried sweetly, hoping at all costs to avoid the subject. But the look he received from the redhead sitting across from him let him know that he definitely wasn’t getting out of this one.

Nami sighed, her face softening when the distressed smell from earlier returned. It wasn’t overwhelming or anything, and other than the omega and beta in the booth next to them, she didn’t think anybody else could smell it…which was lucky for them, the last thing they needed right now was to get the attention of any alpha’s thinking they could take advantage of a vulnerable omega.

“I don’t know what it is Sanji, but I assure you that everything is going to be alright,” she said, getting up from her side of the booth and making her way over to sit next to him. She put her arm around his waist, and began rubbing her neck against his, scenting him, a trick omegas used with each other to help comfort one another in absence of their mate. 

Sanji stiffened for a second, not sure what Nami was doing, when her scent flooded his senses, and all the panic he had been experiencing moments before seemed to slowly fade away. He closed his eyes, allowing the warm, safe, feeling to encompass him. It was so relaxing that he actually felt himself drift off, until Nami pulled away, snapping him out of the comfortable daze he had been in.

“Are you ready to talk?” Nami prodded gently, keeping her hand on Sanji’s. She wanted to continue comforting him, but knew they would get nowhere if she continued to embrace him. 

“No…” Sanji groaned, really wishing that he could avoid this conversation, but considering everything that happened that afternoon he knew he owed her an explanation. He thought about it for a moment, and chose his words carefully. “Did you always know you wanted to be with Luffy…or were you only drawn to him after he claimed you?”

“Why would you…” She began, only to trail off, her eyes widening in realization. “Do you want to bond with Zoro?!” She practically shrieked, earning herself a look from everybody in the restaurant. 

“What?! No! Of course not!” He hissed, his face reddening in absolute horror. “Like I would ever want to bond with that Neanderthal!” He buried his head in his hands to hide his humiliation, at both the lingering stares and at the thought his precious Nami-swan could ever think such a thing.

“Oh…” Nami said, sounding almost disappointed… “Why do you ask then?”

“Well…” Sanji finally said, looking up from his hands after regaining his composure. “I may have had a dream about Zoro…not a sex dream!” He quickly added, seeing the glint in her eyes. “It was just…I don’t know.”

“And your hoping that it’s just a natural omega thing to be drawn to the alpha that claimed you?” Nami ventured a guess once it was clear that Sanji was finished sharing. The blonde nodded, training his eyes to the plate of food in front of him, that he hadn’t even realized arrived, dreading the answer no matter what it was going to be.

“I can’t say that I wasn’t drawn to Luffy before he claimed me…there was always something about him. So I guess I can’t really answer your question because I always wanted Luffy, before and after the claiming. But the draw to him was definitely stronger after the claiming…it just felt so natural, like it was always meant to be.” Nami finished, blushing slightly when she realized how lovesick she must’ve sounded. 

“I see…” Sanji sighed, pushing his plate away, losing his appetite completely, all of a sudden feeling a little nauseous. This was the second time today he was wasting food…Zeff would kill him if he found out. He sighed again, rubbing his temples, trying to fight off the headache he could feel coming. He was no closer to understanding what his dream meant, and was beyond frustrated…why was this happening to him? Why couldn’t he get the damned Marimo out of his head? 

“Are you okay Sanji…you look a little pale.”

“I want to see Zoro,” he suddenly said, surprising himself as much as Nami. What the hell was he saying? Zoro was the last person in the world he wanted to see…yet there was something gnawing at him, urging him to see the green-haired teen. Maybe if he saw him, and was reminded of what an absolute idiot he was, then he could finally put this whole thing behind him. 

“Alright,” Nami quickly agreed, not questioning why…she could sense the other omega was getting distressed again and wasn’t sure she would be able to comfort him again. There were times that an omega simply needed their alpha, and whether Sanji would ever acknowledge it or not, until his next heat came than Zoro was his alpha, and right now he needed him. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any thoughts? Care to venture how Sanji's talk with Zoro is going to go? I would love to hear any opinions. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally talk…well sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops I did it again…not update for over a month that is. I'm sure your tired of excuses so I won't even mention my massive writer's block, and skip straight to the apologies. I am very, very sorry! No matter how hard I tried I couldn't seem to get this chapter to come out right…even now I'm not really overly happy with it, but at least it's finished. I just hope that it's not too awful and that you will enjoy anyway.  
> ...

Zoro sighed, lunch period was almost over and there was still no sign of Sanji and Nami returning. Not that he was actively waiting for them or anything…the stupid curly-browed cook could do whatever he wanted! It wasn’t like it was his business anyway…the blonde had made that more than clear on a number of occasions. 

But the whole thing was just confusing, and he didn’t understand what happened earlier. Had he done something without realizing it? And if so, what? Was it the fact that he caused him to drop his lunch? Because he apologized for that and offered to replace it! But something was off…instead of kicking his face in, the cook just stayed silent and avoided eye contact with him, than he took off with Nami like his life depended on it. It was beyond frustrating. He needed to talk to the damned cook, and he needed to clear things up once again…which honestly seemed like all he had been doing lately.

“A watched pot never boils you know,” Usopp said, breaking him out of his thoughts.

“Huh?” He turned away from the school doors and shot the younger teen a look, causing him to squeak, and turn back towards his lunch.

“Your offer thinkin if…” Luffy mumbled, still stuffing his face with the remainder of his lunch…and Zoro’s lunch. 

“What do you mean?” Zoro sighed, having to resist the urge to smash something in his frustration. He just couldn’t stop thinking about the curly-browed idiot no matter how hard he tried.

“Sanji did something to confuse you, am I right?” Luffy answered, tossing a chicken nugget up in the air and catching it in his mouth as he spoke.

“Yes…” He replied hesitantly, giving the raven-haired teen a skeptical look.

“Well then don’t worry about it! Omegas can act a little weird at times, but that’s normal. You just have to try and be patient and support them the best you can when the time comes!” Luffy said, continuing to devour what little food was left within arms reach.

“What are you saying? That we need to walk on eggshells around them? That we should treat them differently?” Zoro’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the other alpha, not liking what he was implying. Omegas were strong! They didn’t need to be babied! There was nothing he hated more than alphas that thought they were superior in anyway…he would’ve never have guessed that Luffy would have thoughts like these at all, especially after finding out the other day that Nami had been an omega all along and mated to him…he was still a little pissed that they would keep something like that from him. They were about to form a pack after all, and you needed to be able to trust your pack mates with anything. 

“Yes and no…” Luffy shrugged, not affected at all from the angry scent his words were causing…unlike Usopp, who looked about ready to pass out.

“Sanji is strong! You know he is Luffy! So how can you imply that he needs to be treated differently in anyway!?” Zoro hissed through clenched teeth, using all his willpower to keep his voice lowered and his anger in check. The last thing he needed was to start a fight in the middle of the cafeteria with the other alpha…after their little fight last week; they had already received a warning from Smoker, if there was another fight they would both be suspended.

“I know that,” Luffy said a little more seriously. Now that all the food on the table was gone, he was no longer distracted and looked Zoro directly in the eyes. “And so is Nami…but that doesn’t change the fact that she is still an omega. Just like there are certain instincts we have as alphas that we can’t control…like our need to protect and keep our mate safe…there are certain feelings and instincts that they can’t control either…” Luffy sighed, but continued when he saw the older teen still didn’t look convinced, “I’m not saying they needed to be treated as inferior or that they are inferior in any way at all, I would never say that…but at the end of the day we _are_ biologically different, we have different thought processes and hormones running through us, that is just a fact, and it would be unfair to treat them exactly the same as us when they aren’t the same.”

“That…” Zoro began, but the words died as quickly as they began. He never really considered things that way before.

When he was younger he had never really gave the whole alpha, beta, omega thing much thought, all he knew was what he saw on TV, where alphas were portrayed as strong heroes, omegas were the damsel in distress, and betas were the sidekicks. But after his sister presented he started thinking about omegas in a completely different way. His sister was literally the strongest person he knew…and no matter what she never let her primary or secondary genders get in her way. She never wanted to be treated differently from anyone else, alpha or beta, so growing up seeing that, he started believing that all omegas were strong and assumed they all wanted to be treated like everybody else. 

But Sanji wasn’t his sister…no omega was exactly like his sister. So was Luffy right? Had he been wrong to treat Sanji exactly like he always did? Was he supposed to treat him differently now? He groaned, wishing he had the answer. Why did this have to be so complicated? Why couldn’t someone just tell him what the hell he was supposed to do?!

“I’m not saying that you have to start treating him _that_ differently…just maybe try and be a little more patient and understanding when he does something confusing, something that you might even think is irrational.”

Zoro stayed silent, considering this. He supposed that made sense…he could still treat the cook the same, but he shouldn’t be as irritated as he is right now when he decides to randomly start acting weird and blowing him off with weak ass excuses. As annoying as the thought of not being able to demand answers from the cook might be, if it was what was best for the blonde, then maybe, just maybe, he could live with it.

“Alright, I think I get it…” Zoro finally mumbled. It might take some time to get use to, but the more he thought about it, the more he began to believe that maybe Luffy was right. It was not like every beta and omega out there expected him to act and feel the same way they do, so why would he expect the same from them? Everybody could still be equal even if they were different and needed to be treated accordingly. He felt so stupid now for ever thinking otherwise.

After feeling all his anger and irritation drain out of him, and deciding that he wasn’t going to grill Sanji for answers the minute he walked through the door, he turned back towards his lunch, only to find it completely missing. He was about to curse out Luffy, when a soft, nervous voice cut in.

“Umm, excuse m-me Z-zoro senpai,” the voice stuttered. Zoro looked up to see an omega that seemed vaguely familiar. She had long pink hair, and was dressed up in some ridiculous over the top gothic Lolita get up. Her scent was sweet like cotton candy, almost sickeningly so…it was definitely familiar, he just couldn’t quiet put his finger on where he remembered her from.

“Yes?”

“M-my name is Perona. Could I maybe talk to you for a m-moment…alone?” The girl, Perona, shifted back and forth on her feet, obviously very nervous. If her fidgeting didn’t give it away, than the slight change in her scent did. But why would she be so nervous? She was the one that chose to talk to him in the first place…

“Umm, sure…” He finally agreed, remembering Luffy’s advice. Normally he would tell the girl no, and to leave him alone…but since he literally just decided to be more aware of omegas and their feelings, he got up and followed the girl out of the cafeteria and down a hallway.

The further away they got from the cafeteria and everybody else’s scent, the more he could really hone in on hers. The sweetness was so familiar and so overwhelming, it almost made him feel a little nauseous…it was nothing like the warm comforting scent of fresh baked bread…a scent that he desperately missed in that moment.

Perona stopped walking, but had yet to say anything, or even look at him. He was getting slightly annoyed by the situation, and the scent, that he was about to turn and leave, when she grabbed on to his arm, and looked up to him with tears shining in her eyes. 

He froze at the sight, starting to panic slightly. Why was she about to cry? He hadn’t done anything to hurt her had he? Impossible! He hadn’t even touched her! All of a sudden Sanji’s slightly confusing behavior seemed like nothing.

“A few months ago you came to challenge my uncle to a sword fight. You were so strong and amazing! Even though you lost, you were so skilled.” A few tears started to leak from her eyes. “And after the match was over I had to leave the dojo, all the strong alpha scents were overwhelming me, and that was when I was corned by another group of alphas that had also come to challenge my uncle. I was so scared...but then you came out and you saved me. Your scent was so powerful and intimidating that the other alphas ran off before you even said anything. Even though we didn’t speak, ever since that day I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

Zoro remembered the day she was talking about…it was about 6 months after his sister had died. He had become obsessed with increasing his training, determined to continue on her dream of becoming the best swordsman in the world. He had become so much stronger in those few short months, and after he presented as an alpha he probably got a little too confident and decided to finally test his strength and challenge Mihawk, the world kendo champion. He had suffered a crushing defeat, and had been pretty badly injured in the process…he didn’t really remember this girl being there specifically, but he must have picked up on her scent and that was why it was so familiar to him now. As for saving her…he definitely didn’t remember that. He had been pissed about his humiliating defeat, that he had left the man’s dojo angry…so he supposed his anger could’ve chased off a group of alphas without him realizing it.

“Ummm, I don’t really know what to say,” he finally spoke, after a few moments of awkward silence passed between them. Her grip on his arm increased, and she made the bold move to stick her face in the crook of his neck, deeply inhaling the smell that was escaping from his scent glands.

He froze in surprise, not sure what the hell he was supposed to do. His first instinct was to push her away, but she was so small and frail compared to the cook…he supposed just like omegas and alphas were different, that every omega was different as well. If the cook were here he wouldn’t have to worry about something as small as a push hurting him. _Not that I would want to push the cook away._ His brain supplied very unhelpfully. He sighed, once again wishing it was fresh baked bread he was smelling, not cotton candy. 

“Could you let me go,” he decided to say instead, cringing when the girl began sobbing harder.

“Please don’t push me away senpai, I have waited so long to tell you this,” she cried, “I was too scared to do it when school first began, and then you…then you claimed that male omega…but I barely ever saw you guys together, and when you were you weren’t acting like a claimed couple, so I figured the whole thing must have just been a mistake. You’re not together with him, right?” 

“Well actually we…” he began, but trailed off. How was he supposed to finish that sentence? It caused an ache in his chest when he couldn’t actually deny anything she said. He and the cook certainly weren’t a couple, Sanji could barely stand to be around him, even if he had thought that they had made amends. So what were they? Friends? Rivals? Whatever the answer was, ‘mate’ certainly wasn’t it…why did that bother him so much?

“Your actually what?” She asked, with so much hope in her voice.

“We’re just friends…” He finally answered, the excitement that appeared on her face made his already bad mood even worse.

“I knew it! I knew there was no way someone as strong as you would be gay!” She giggled happily. What kind of reasoning was that? He was strong so therefore he couldn’t be gay? That caused his annoyance with this girl to skyrocket. Even though he swung both ways, he was tempted to just tell her he was gay anyway, to see her joy and excitement crushed. He was about to do just that when she continued. “Please consider me senpai! I love you so much! I promise to be a loyal, obedient omega. I’ll do anything to make you happy!”

Before he could even process her words, several things happened all at once. The pink haired omega was yanked away from him, and a pair of lips were smashed against his own. His eyes widened and he was about to push the individual away when the smell of fresh baked bread flooded his senses, and his body instantly relaxed. He couldn’t quite explain it, but it felt as though a piece of him had been missing for the last few weeks, and that piece finally fell into place. 

He couldn’t believe this was actually happening, what was Sanji thinking? Not even an hour ago he couldn’t even look him in the eyes, and now…Sanji nibbled at his lip, causing something to stir within him. He let out a low growl, shoving the blonde against the lockers, deepening the kiss. Sanji gasped from the sudden impact, providing the perfect opportunity for Zoro to slip his tongue into the other boy’s mouth. 

Sanji let out a low moan, his body tingling at the sensation. And as much as he didn’t want the moment to end, the shift in the cotton candy smell reminded him that they still had an audience, so he pulled away, breaking the kiss.

Zoro growled again, trying to reconnect their lips, but when Sanji turned his face away, he settled for sucking on his neck, gently nipping the scent gland in order to release more of that intoxicating smell…the smell that he had been so desperately craving since Sanji had left for lunch.

Sanji had to force himself not to moan as the other teen continued to stimulate his scent gland. He never would of guessed that something like that would feel so good…but he tried to keep himself as composed as possible as he turned toward the pink haired girl, who was staring at them in absolute shock and horror. A small part of him felt bad that he had done something to upset such a cute woman…when he remembered how she had been hanging all over Zoro, and then the anger that had bubbled up inside him returned.

“This is my alpha, back off,” he hissed, causing the girl to burst into tears before she turned around and ran away. Once she was gone, and her scent began to dissipate, Sanji began to finally calm down. The threat was gone…

“So I’m your alpha huh?” Zoro smirked, nibbling once more at the blonde’s scent gland before looking up, laughing at his impossibly red face. He looked so…so…adorable. Man Sanji would kill him if he ever said that out loud…

“Sh-shut up you moron! It’s not like that…I just saw you two and…” He trailed off, not quite able to explain what had come over him.

He and Nami had returned from lunch, and then…he closed his eyes, allowing the scene from earlier play out in his mind.

…

“Nami! You’re finally back! Where’s my bento? I’m starving!” Luffy shouted, as he saw the two omegas approaching. 

“You just ate three lunches,” Usopp rolled his eyes as the alpha shushed him. Honestly, it was like he had a rubber stomach or something…

“Here it is,” She said, and couldn’t help but smile as he tore into it with excitement. She had been slowly learning to cook so she could pack Luffy lunches she had made herself. Even though she knew she wasn’t very good at it, he still always ate it as if it was the most delicious thing in the world. And it caused a warm cozy feeling to flood inside of her. She was so distracted by her alpha that she almost forgot about the other omega, until the slightly distressed scent flared up again. “Luffy, where’s Zoro?”

“He wenf some fwhere wiff some omega girl,” he answered through mouthfuls of food.

Upon hearing this, Sanji froze, and a strange feeling began growing inside of him. Zoro had went somewhere with a girl…an omega girl…why would he do that? What were they doing? What if Zoro was finally fed up with dealing with his shit that instead of waiting for his claim on Sanji to wear off that he was just going to go ahead and claim another omega? And why did the thought of that make him feel so nauseous?

“Sanji, are you okay?” Nami whispered, pulling the blonde out of the cafeteria, when he began to receive a few strange looks from the other presented students. 

“I, I don’t know…” Sanji felt his stomach churn, placing his hand on his abdomen and taking a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. Why was he overreacting like this? So what if Zoro was with another omega right now? It really wasn’t a big deal. Zoro could hang out with anybody he wanted. So why…why the hell did he feel like this?

“Sanji, try and breath alright, look at me,” she kept her voice gentle, placing her hands on either side of Sanji’s face, forcing him to look at her. “Have you ever considered the fact, that you actually care for Zoro, and that you’re not as angry about the claiming as you say?”

“What!? No! I…of course I don’t…where the hell did that come from!?” He snapped, wincing at the slightly hurt look on the red-haired omegas face. She took a few steps back, thinking that maybe it would be better if she just left him alone for a while, when another distressed smell reached her. But this one was different from the ones before…

His scent right now was confused, and scared, maybe if she just gave him another small push… “I know it might be confusing. I mean, all your life you probably thought you were going to be an alpha, and that you would one day have a beautiful omega wife. But things didn’t turn out that way, and I get that that is scary, but that doesn’t mean you have to turn something that could be amazing down just because it wasn’t apart of your original plan. Despite his attitude sometimes, Zoro is an amazing alpha, and he would do anything for his friends…he would do anything for you. And you two were always so close, even if all you did was fight all the time. You guys sparked something in each other, caused the other to strive to work harder, to be better. You might not have ever thought of it as love, but maybe it isn’t as far away from that as you thought.”

“I need to be alone,” Sanji said instantly, feeling the urge to snap at the other omega, and he didn’t want to raise his voice to his precious Nami-swan, not again.

“Alright,” Nami agreed, feeling that she probably said too much, but if it helped him at all, then it would be worth it. 

After Nami left, he finally allowed what she said to sink in…that Zoro was a good alpha, that he would do anything for him, that they were always so close, and that maybe it was love…how could she even suggest that? There was no way in hell that he loved Zoro! Love was the last word he would ever use to describe what he felt toward him.

Annoyance, yes, irritation, you bet, admiration, he supposed maybe, but love? No. Just no. It couldn’t be love. 

Besides, he was straight…he was sure of it…sure he could appreciate the fact that Zoro worked out and that the Neanderthal had what could be considered a good body…but so did women! They were so soft, and beautiful! He could hold a woman in his arms and she would fit perfectly. _Just like you fit perfectly in his arms._ No, no, no, he definitely DID NOT just think that, nope, not him. There was no way he was thinking about the night of his first heat either, when Zoro had saved him from those other alphas, and there was no way he was remembering how safe he felt once he was in Zoro’s arms…no he definitely wasn’t thinking about that, not at all. 

He felt his stomach churn again, the nauseous feeling he had before returning. He was about to go to the bathroom, thinking he might actually be sick (that was the last time he ate anything from some dodgy diner) when he picked up two distinct scents, causing him to freeze in his tracks. One smelt like cheap candy, the other smelt like a forest with hints of smoke…before he realized what he was doing, he was walking down the hall. As he got closer to the end of the hall, the smells got stronger and stronger. 

He finally reached the end and rounded the corner, only to see a sight that caused him to freeze once again. There was Zoro, with some pink haired girl holding on to him… _calm down_ , he told himself, it’s probably not what it looks like.

“Please consider me senpai! I love you so much! I promise to be a loyal, obedient omega. I’ll do anything to make you happy!” He heard her say. And then he snapped. An unexplainable rage began bubbling up in side of him and a voice was screaming _mine, mine, he’s mine, get you’re hands off of him!_ He hadn’t even realized he had moved when he was within arms reach of them.

He pulled the pink-haired omega away from Zoro, for once in his life not even worrying that he was being too rough with a woman. After she was away from the alpha, instead of yelling at him like he originally planned, his body moved on its own once again. He needed to make things perfectly clear to the other omega…

…

Sanji snapped out of his thoughts, before he could replay the kiss in his head. If he thought about the kiss, he might think about how he felt during the kiss. How his body had ached, tingled, and burned. How slick…how slick had definitely NOT been produced, and that he definitely did NOT need to change his underwear the moment he got home. Nope, definitely not. 

“I can’t explain it…I saw her holding on to you, and I just snapped okay! I-I couldn’t control myself! I just felt…I don’t know okay! I don’t know, I don’t know, I don…” He began to panic again, having no idea what he was feeling, or how to put it into words, when his rambling was cut off with a pair of lips being smashed into his own.

He tried to push Zoro away, but couldn’t deny that the contact and the scent that flooded his nose did calm his racing thoughts. The kiss didn’t last long this time, Zoro being the one to break it.

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t know either. Ever since that day…I can’t stop thinking about what happened, about how I must have hurt you, how I was afraid that things would never be the same, how I might lose you because of it. And about how badly that scared me. You’re not the only one that is confused.”

“Really?” Sanji whispered hesitantly, afraid that Zoro was going to burst out laughing any moment and say that he was just screwing with him. But he didn’t laugh, he just smiled, leaning their foreheads together.

“Really.” 

The two of them stood together in silence for a few minutes, neither knowing what to say. That lunch period had taken a turn that neither boy would have ever guessed. And neither knew what this meant, or where they were supposed to go from there. So they both decided that what this meant didn’t matter in that moment, and that was something they could always figure out later. But for now they just wrapped their arms around each other, enjoying the comfort the other’s scent brought. And Sanji DIDN’T think for one minute about how incredibly safe he truly did feel in those arms. Nope…definitely not.

The two were so wrapped up in the moment, that neither noticed that they weren’t alone anymore. Nami had gotten worried when neither Sanji or Zoro returned before the lunch bell rang, so she decided to go check on them…and man, was she glad she did. 

“Nami, why are you crouching here? And why is your nose bleeding?” Luffy asked, chuckling when the omega jumped, not realizing her alpha followed her.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she blushed, wiping her nose, cursing that it was in fact bleeding. “I was just making sure my future pack mates were okay.”

“They look more than okay to me.” Luffy beamed at the sight. Feeling for the first time in weeks that things between his friends were going to be all right. “But why don’t we get out of here before they notice us and get embarrassed.”

“Good idea…” Nami agreed, knowing how Sanji would likely react if he knew she saw them. About how cute and sweet they looked together…and that kiss…man had that been intense.

“We better get you to the nurse, your nose is bleeding again.” Luffy laughed, putting his arm around his omega’s waist, thinking she looked absolutely adorable when she when she began blushing again. 

Yup, things definitely seemed to be turning around, and now that the tension was subsiding between Sanji and Zoro, they could finally form their pack. He couldn’t be more excited for what this meant, and all the adventures they were sure to have with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> …
> 
> Sorry again for the wait, and I will try and force myself to make more time for writing. In the meantime what did you all think? There was some bits that I was worried about, like Luffy seeming to out of character at some parts, though I suppose this is fiction based on fiction so reality shouldn't be that important…I was also worried things were too rushed. When I originally planned out this chapter, Zoro was originally going to be talking to Tashigi (but then I figured with how much she looked like Kuina that that would be too weird, and that I will save her character for later on) and also Sanji was just supposed to get a little jealous and approach the two and basically say 'stay away from my alpha' and that was all…the kiss kind of just happened as I was writing. So hopefully it's not too rushed.
> 
> Next chapter will involve Sanji and Zoro ACTUALLY talking, as well as the group gathering in order to form the pack. So characters that have only been mentioned we will finally get to see them!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, and would love to hear what you think. Thank you for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? An update and it hasn't even been a month? Sure it has already been two weeks, but this is definitely and improvement to last time! Hopefully I can keep up a similar pace in the future. 
> 
> I would like to thank everybody for the wonderful response to last chapter. I was nervous about it, and you definitely calmed some of those nerves. I am honestly just as nervous of this chapter, which is probably a feeling I'm always going to have when posting, so hopefully you enjoy it just as much. I think this is my longest chapter to date, so hopefully it doesn't drag on or anything, you know, like this author's note, haha. Anyway please enjoy and let me know what you think! :D

Sanji couldn’t believe that today was finally the day. They had all talked about it for years, dreamed about it, but to think that it was finally happening…it just seemed so surreal. He and his friends were actually going to form a pack!

A pack was a group of close individuals, alphas, betas, and omegas alike, who came together to form a deep bond. The bond wasn’t like the one formed between mates, but it still ran deep, and it was something that stayed with you for life. Which is why forming a pack was a huge decision and not many people actually ever joined one, never finding a group of people they wanted to be connected to for the rest of their lives. In a way, forming a bond with a pack was an even bigger decision that forming a bond with a mate. 

But if you were lucky enough to find a pack you wanted to join, and they accepted you, then the benefits were huge. There were safety in numbers after all, and members of a pack could always sense when one of their own was in danger. Members of a pack were even closer than family, for one could choose their pack, unlike their family, and usually any member of a pack would be willing to lie down their lives for another. 

There were other benefits as well, such as financial security. Packs typically lived together in large houses, pooling their incomes and splitting the costs of everything. So even if one member was going through a hard time, they could always count on their pack to help out until they were back on their feet. 

And on top of all of that, it was also a securer more stable environment to raise a child. There were countless stories of omegas being forced claimed and ending up pregnant and abandoned. They would usually struggle to raise their child, sometimes turning to unimaginable things just to be able to make ends meet. But omegas, and female betas, that were in a pack never had to worry about that. Even if the one that impregnated them left, the pack would be there to support them no matter what. Plus children growing up in a pack together often became very close themselves, which would set up a foundation for a future pack of their own, continuing on the cycle of security and prosperity. 

Growing up and learning about packs, Sanji never dreamed that he could actually be a part of one. Other than his mother, no member of his family ever showed him a shred of decency or kindness…his sister would occasionally take pity on him and let him out of the various places his brothers would lock him up in, but pity and kindness were two completely different things. 

Other than a family that deemed him the black sheep, for reasons he still didn’t understand, he also didn’t have any friends. The only other kids he associated with were either his father’s employee’s children, who were forced to be nice to him and his siblings (that was of course until they saw how his brothers treated him and decided it was okay to treat him the same) or the other kids at the ridiculously overpriced private school he went to. And most of those kids had obviously been groomed to carry on their family’s businesses, none of them viewing friendship as something necessary to get ahead, therefore it was a waste of time.

It wasn’t until he had run away and met Zeff that he ever considered the idea that their might be a place he belonged. Even though he realized he would never be able to form a pack with Zeff, since the older man had previously been apart of one in his past and it was nearly impossible to ever form another one after that, but he didn’t care. He figured as long as one person cared about him, than maybe, just maybe everything would be all right. But as soon as he got comfortable, his father had tracked him down and taken away that shred of hope as well.

Years went by, and nothing changed…unless you counted his brothers going through puberty and becoming even more aggressive and intolerable. He all but gave up, accepting that all he could do was keep his head down and try to survive, at least until he turned 18 when he could try once again to escape back to Zeff. And that’s when it happened.

As punishment for asking to be sent to a cooking school, his father gave him a blessing in disguise by sending him to the cheapest public school he could find. A school where students were normal and not just some puppet of their family’s…a school were people laughed and joked and weren’t afraid to let loose…a school where he met the kindest, albeit strangest, individuals, who became the best friends he could ever imagine. 

And through those friends, he met even more amazing people, like Robin, Franky, Brook, Vivi, and Kaya. And then all of a sudden, within the course of a few months, his life had completely changed. The loneliness and emptiness in his heart that he had carried around since his mother had died began to fill. So even though they were young, when the idea of forming a pack was brought up in their first year of high school, he knew in his heart that one day it would be a reality. 

They probably would’ve formed the pack sooner, but they had to wait for everybody to officially ‘come of age’ and present their secondary gender. Unless you were a child born into a pack, where the pack bond would instantly encircle you, than you couldn’t form a pack or join a pack until you came of age. 

With Sanji presenting last month, everybody was officially of age, and the pack could be formed. Things were delayed for a little while due to the tension and uncertainty between Sanji and Zoro, but now that things finally settled down, the process could get started. 

“Why are you all dressed up? A pack bonding isn’t really a formal occasion…unless there is a certain _someone_ you’re trying to impress?” Zeff teased, seeing his son walking down the stairs wearing a three-piece suit. He knew it was probably wrong of him to tease the boy, considering how sensitive he still was about the whole thing, but he couldn’t resist…the rise he got out of the boy was just too amusing to pass up on. And what did the kid expect him to do when he came home the other day reeking of the very individual he had been cursing for the past few weeks?

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am,” Sanji replied, eyes narrowing, brushing his suit off as if the implications had dirtied it. “The beautiful Nami, Robin, Vivi and Kaya are going to be there tonight, and I wouldn’t dream of disappointing them by showing up dressed like some sort of slob.”

“Right, right of course…” Zeff chuckled, pretending to turn his attention back to his cooking, before he spoke next, “By the way, there is a certain green-haired kid loitering around the front of the restaurant…I’m pretty sure the reason it’s so slow right now is that he is scaring away all the customers…”

And just like he expected, upon hearing the green-haired kid was waiting for him, Sanji froze for a brief moment, before he tried to slip his cool demeanor back on. He might have missed it if he hadn’t known the blonde so well. 

He could sense that something had changed with him. Ever since he came home smelling like the alpha boy three days ago, something was definitely different. He hadn’t pried into the matter, and knew better than to push Sanji…but the reaction he got when ever he mentioned Zoro was more than just amusing, it also told him a lot.

“I don’t know why that idiot is here…we were all suppose to meet at Robin and Franky’s for the bonding.” Sanji muttered, before turning and leaving the kitchen, pretending not to notice Zeff’s smirk, just like Zeff pretended not to notice the slight tint in his cheeks.

“I wonder how long it will take him to realize it…” Zeff shook his head, chuckling to himself. He hoped it didn’t take too long; otherwise things would get a lot more complicated very soon...

…

“What are you doing here? We were supposed to meet at Robin and Franky’s house.” Sanji said as he exited the restaurant, smelling the other boy before he even opened the doors. 

Zoro jumped up from the bench, readying the explanation he had practiced on the way over there, when the words died on his lips, his eyes widening when the blonde came into view. 

What was the cook wearing? He looked so…no actual words came to mind to describe it. He was just…he was so…holy crap, why was his heart beating so quickly?

“What the hell are you staring at Marimo? I know you’re a complete slob, but surely you’ve seen a suit before?” Sanji snapped, cursing as he felt his face begin to heat up. What the hell was wrong with that idiot?! Why was he staring?! And why the hell was he reacting to it like this?

Ever since the ‘incident’ three days ago, where he basically had a complete omega meltdown, things had been both better, as well as completely messed up.

It was better in the sense that the tension that had existed between him and Zoro finally vanished. Sure things weren’t completely back to normal, but they had both come to accept that, realizing that until the claiming had worn off that things were going to be a little different. 

Even though he didn’t have to like it, he finally accepted the Zoro was his alpha, and he was Zoro’s omega, at least for the time being, which meant that the two of them were going to be drawn to each other, and there was nothing they could do about that. Zoro also agreed to stay away from any other omegas, at least ones that weren’t going to be in their pack, which Sanji hated to admit he was grateful for. He would prefer to avoid any other jealously induced meltdowns. 

So the last three days had definitely been better, he could be in the same room as Zoro now with out feelings completely disgusted with himself, and because of that the pack could finally be formed.

The part that was messed up, that he couldn’t quite understand, was that instead of feeling disgusted or ashamed every time he saw Zoro, he felt something else, something he couldn’t put his finger on.

“Sorry,” Zoro said, finally snapping out of his brief trance. He had no idea what came over him, and was about to make up an excuse, when he noticed the slightly red hew of the blonde’s normally pale skin. Even though he tried to be a little more cautious of the cook’s feelings the last few days, they both had been slowly falling back into a comfortable, almost familiar, routine, which included some playful teasing, which is why he couldn’t refuse the opportunity now.

“Sorry,” he started again, “I didn’t mean to stare, you just look so incredibly good right now.” Zoro teased, though the words came out a lot less sarcastic then he had meant for them to… _oh well_ , he shrugged, as the words seemed to have the desired affect either way, and he was rewarded with the cook turning an even more brilliant shade of red.

“Shut up you idiot!” He hissed, cursing his body for reacting against his will. What the hell was wrong with him? Why the hell couldn’t he keep his cool?! His anger began to boil as the other teen burst out in laughter. He was about to shut him up by not so gently placing his foot in his face, when he had another idea.

It might be a little wrong of him, but if the Marimo could tease him like that, then he wouldn’t feel quite so bad about it…

“Why are you laughing?” It took every bit of his will power to keep the anger out of his voice, and to soften it to the point that he actually sounded vulnerable…damn he was good, he was actually a little surprised about how weak he was able to make himself sound, and apparently it worked, because Zoro immediately stopped laughing, and turned towards him with wide eyes. 

“Do I…do I look stupid?” He continued, lowering his eyes to the ground, and balling up his fists at his side. “I wanted to look good because this night is so important to me…I’m such an idiot!” He cried, having to bite back a smirk, as he actually got his voice to crack. His eyes were still trained to the ground, so he couldn’t see how the Marimo was reacting. He could only imagine that he was beginning to panic, thinking that he hurt the omega’s feelings and that he was about to have some sort of breakdown. 

He couldn’t wait to see him freak out, and stumble over an apology like an idiot…and just when he felt the other boy had had enough, he would kick him in the gut and tell him he was joking, and to keep his stupid comments to himself.

He took a deep breath, preparing for the next part of his charade, which included trying to conjure up some fake tears, when something he definitely wasn’t expecting happened, and it caused him to freeze completely in shock.

Instead of freaking out like he was anticipating, Zoro had closed the gap between them, and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him tightly against his chest. Before Sanji could protest, or push him away, Zoro spoke.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to tease you…well that’s not true, I did mean to tease you, but I didn’t mean for you to take it like that. But for what it’s worth, I wasn’t lying. You do look really good in that suit Sanji.” Zoro whispered, trying to keep his voice as calm and gentle as possible. He wasn’t stupid; he had known exactly what Sanji was doing…

He wasn’t going to lie, when Sanji first lowered his voice he began to internally freak out and was about to start apologizing, thinking that he had messed up bad, but instead of smelling distress from the omega, he smelled traces of anger, and he knew that the cook wasn’t actually upset. He was pissed off and trying to toy with him…well two could play at that game. 

When the cook lowered his eyes, he took the opportunity to close the distance between them, pulling the slightly smaller boy into his arms. He smirked when he felt Sanji tense up, but then he wasn’t really sure what to do next…he had wanted to beat Sanji at his own game, and more or less acted on instinct, but what was he suppose to do now? 

He was about to let the cook go and apologize for invading his personal space, something that he hadn’t done since the incident three days ago, when he got a big whiff of the cook’s scent, and he couldn’t will himself to let go, no matter how hard he tried. It felt so comfortable, so natural…and before he could stop himself words were spilling out of his mouth…shit, what the hell was he saying? Did he just tell the cook how good he looked in the suit?

Sanji froze again, hearing the other boy’s words. Shit, what was happening? The Marimo was supposed to freak out, not be all caring and concerned…and why did he sound so sincere when he said he looked good in the suit? Surely he was just teasing him again…right?

They both pulled apart, seeing the confusion shinning in the other’s eyes, neither knowing what to say. They stood in silence for a few minutes, when Sanji decided to break the silence; he opened his mouth to speak, when his stomach gave an uncomfortable churn.

His eyes widened, his hand flying to his mouth, as he quickly dashed to the nearby alleyway, barely making it out of sight of the public before the contents of his stomach traveled up his throat, and made a loud splash as it hit the concrete. 

What the hell was happening? He felt fine a minute ago! Was it something the Marimo did? Was it his scent? No, that couldn’t be it…he had smelled the other teen’s scent a number of times, and it definitely never made him feel sick. If anything it would have the opposite effect, as much as he hated to admit it…speaking of the Marimo’s scent, he could tell instantly that the other teen had followed him. He couldn’t imagine how pathetic he looked right now to the other boy, and it was almost enough to upset him for real. He cursed when he felt real tears begin sting the back of his eyes.

“Sanji, are you okay?” Zoro asked carefully, keeping his distance, especially when he saw the blonde’s shoulders begin to shake. And unlike anger, like last time, he began to smell real distress. What was going on? Was it something he had done? But surely he couldn’t be responsible for making the other boy sick…could he? 

“Stay away,” Sanji pleaded, trying desperately to keep his voice even. He might already look pathetic, but he refused to look any weaker by allowing himself to cry. “I ate some of Pattie’s cooking earlier, and the idiot probably gave me food poisoning…” Which wasn’t even a lie. The more he thought about it, the surer he was that this was the case. He made a mental note to kick the other cook’s ass tomorrow when he saw him. “I just need a few minutes. Go wait up front for me, then we will go to Robin and Franky’s together, okay?” Sanji finished, shocked that he was actually able to pull himself together and sound somewhat normal. He just prayed the Marimo got the hint.

“Alright,” Zoro answered hesitantly. He could tell something was wrong, the cook definitely smelled distressed, but the last thing he wanted to do was make things worse by staying. He could imagine how he would feel if the situation was reversed, and would hate it if the cook saw him getting sick, saw him so vulnerable. So he bit back his instinct that was telling him to approach the cook, and wrap his arms around him, and left the alleyway instead. 

He sat down on the bench in front of the restaurant, playing over everything that had just happened, trying to figure everything out. What the hell had happened? One minute he was teasing the cook, next minute he was in his arms, and the next minute after that he was running off and getting sick…it couldn’t have been his scent, right? His scent had never affected the cook like that before. There was no way! 

Was this maybe just some omega thing that happened? He vaguely remembered something like that from health class, not that he ever paid much attention…but he remembered hearing something about how omegas could sometimes make themselves physically sick if they were overwhelmed or stressed/anxious enough about something. Had he caused that? Had he some how overwhelmed the cook?

Or maybe it was actually food poisoning like the blonde had said. Working/living in a restaurant, trying so much food, it was bound to happen…of course it was! That had to be it!

“Ready to go dumbass?” Sanji spoke, causing Zoro to jump. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t sensed the other teen approaching. He jumped up, wanting to ask the blonde if he was okay, but he stopped himself when Sanji narrowed his eyes dangerously.

Apparently the blonde didn’t want to talk about what just happened, which he couldn’t exactly blame him for. He might have insisted and push the issue, but after looking Sanji up and down, and seeing that he looked completely fine, and that his scent was no longer distressed, he decided to drop the issue like Sanji clearly wanted him to do. Despite not liking leaving things hanging like that, if it was what Sanji wanted, then it was probably for the best.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” Zoro finally answered, following the blonde toward the train station in silence. He just hoped that things wouldn’t be too tense between them now, and they could get through the pack bonding ceremony without any problems.

…

“Why are they so late…I’m so bored…and hungry!” Luffy whined, sprawled out on the couch, with his head in Nami’s lap. The ceremony was suppose to start almost a full hour ago, but four of their soon to be pack mates weren’t there yet. Which meant the ceremony was delayed, and the big dinner they had planned afterwards was also delayed, the soon to be head alpha seeming more upset about the latter.

“Don’t worry Luffy bro, I’m sure they will be here any minute, then we will be able to form our pack, and eat Robin’s suuuuper food.” The large blue haired beta said, wrapping his arm around his mate.

“Franky’s right, I’m sure they will be here any minute.” Robin said, her tone calm and even as always.

“Maybe they got distracted doing things that mates tend to do,” Brook, the tall, thin, afro’d beta said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I wouldn’t say something like that when Sanji finally gets here.” Nami said, narrowing her eyes at their oldest soon to be pack member. The last thing they needed was for the ceremony to get delayed yet again because one of their members sent another to the hospital…

“Besides, that doesn’t explain why Kaya and Vivi aren’t here yet… they were supposed to carpool, but I can’t get a hold of Kaya. I’m really starting to worry…” Usopp said, concern evident in his voice as he sent his mate yet another text.

Everybody else stayed silent, not sure what to say to that. They had been trying to remain positive, but if truth be told, all of them were starting to get worried about their four missing members. Especially considering what had been happening in the city lately…

“Me and Franky will go drive around the area, maybe if Zoro was leading the way, then he and Sanji just got lost.” Robin suggested, only to be cut off before she could continue.

“Hey! What is that supposed to mean!?” Zoro snapped, entering the living room, with a chuckling Sanji behind him. 

“She’s not wrong, if you were leading the way we would be half way across the city by now,” Sanji smirked, receiving an eye roll from the green-haired teen.

“Whatever,” Zoro scoffed; suppressing any urge he had to argue. Honestly, he was so relieved to see Sanji smile and chuckle that he didn’t want to risk ruining his much improved mood.

“Where the hell were you guys?! We were getting so worried!” Nami snapped, jumping off the couch, ignoring her alpha’s whine as he fell off the couch and on to the floor.

“I do apologize Nami-swan…something came up.” Sanji said, not wanting to get into specific details. No one needed to know that he and Zoro had teased each other, until Sanji randomly got sick from food poisoning…he could do without that embarrassment. 

“Well, is your phone broken?! You couldn’t have let us know that you were going to be a whole _hour_ late! Especially considering what has been going on lately!” She asked, the anger in her voice turning into annoyance. Honestly, she was so relieved that they were both there and that they were safe, but she had started to get really worried, and wanted some sort of explanation.

“My phone is,” Sanji began, patting down his pockets, eyes widening when he realized it was nowhere to be found. He must have forgotten it after he showered and changed into his suit. “I’m sorry…” He finished weakly, not sure what else to say. He could understand her concern. He would be equally angry if Nami had showed up an hour late without her phone…an omega wandering out without a phone was never a good idea, especially not right now. Even if he was a little different than the average omega, it still wasn’t a good idea, and he could acknowledge that. At least he wasn’t alone. The fact that Zoro was with him is probably the only reason she didn’t continue lecturing him.

“And what’s your excuse, I _did_ text you too you know.” Nami crossed her arms, turning her attention to the green-haired alpha. 

“I didn’t get any texts,” Zoro shrugged, sitting down on the couch next to Luffy and Franky.

“Check your phone,” Nami sighed. Zoro would’ve told her to stop bugging him, but felt the cook’s glare from behind him, so he rolled his eyes and reluctantly pulled out his phone. 

“Oh…oops.” He said, seeing the 6 missed calls and 18 unread text messages.

“Idiot,” Nami and Sanji muttered at the same time, causing most people in the room to chuckle, except for Usopp, who was still staring fixedly at his phone.

“See everything is alright, just like I’m sure Vivi and Kaya will be here any minute as well.” Franky said, patting the younger beta on the shoulder, seeming to be the only one picking up on his worry. Since beta’s were basically the ‘neutral’ gender, the scent they emitted wasn’t very strong, and unlike alphas and omegas whose scents noticeably changed when they were either angry, distressed, etc, beta’s scents did not.

But Franky was very observant of people’s moods and feelings for a beta, and could pick up on things that a lot of other betas might not be able to. Not to mention he was closer with Usopp than anybody else in their group, other than his mate of course. In fact, it was thanks to Usopp that he even met Robin in the first place.

It had been just over 4 years ago, when a young Usopp came into the automotive repair shop that he and his brother ran, with his mother, whose car had broken down. Instead of sitting in the waiting room like most customers did, the curious 13 year old snuck into the shop and observed. He asked a bunch of questions, which Franky was all too happy to answer. He was very passionate about his job, and was always excited to pass on any wisdom to somebody younger.

After that Usopp began stopping by almost everyday after school, where Franky was all too happy to continue to teach him. After a year of this, Usopp was practically working there, and he and his brother Iceberg actually began paying him under the table for all that he did around the shop.

One day Usopp had gotten a call from Kaya, who the young teen talked about _often_ , and apparently a friend of hers was stranded on the side of the road with an employee of her fathers, who had been driving her to school. Franky didn’t usually go out and tow broken down cars himself, but decided to make the exception for Usopp, so he didn’t have to let his little girlfriend down.

And man was he glad he did. Because when he pulled up to the broken down car he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. She had raven hair, piercing blue eyes, and a smooth deep voice. By the time he got back to the shop, he was completely in love. And by some miracle, over the next three years, she fell in love with him as well. 

“Franky is right, I’m sure something just came up, and their phones are just on silent or something.” Robin assured the teen, “Vivi may be an omega, but she is strong, and smart, she wouldn’t have allowed anything to happen to Kaya.”

Which was something Robin was sure of. She had known the blue haired girl since she was fairly young, Robin having gotten a job at the museum Vivi’s father owned immediately after she graduated from university 6 years ago. And despite the over ten-year age difference between the two of them, she had grown fairly close to the younger girl, admiring her spunk and her strong will. So knowing the blue-haired teen so well, she was confident that there was a reasonable explanation for all of this.

“Thanks Robin, I hope you’re right,” Usopp nodded in thanks to the older beta couple, feeling slightly reassured…though he was still worried. Kaya always had her phone on her, so he couldn’t quite buy the fact that she would have it on silent and not think to check it.

“Vivi and Kaya aren’t here yet?” Sanji asked, looking around as if to confirm that they weren’t just hiding somewhere, feeling extremely worried when he confirmed that they were indeed missing. What if something happened to them?! What if they were taken by the…no…he stopped himself before he could finish that thought. The same thought that everybody else in the room had been pushing away, not wanting to even consider the possibility. But they had all seen the numerous news stories, and they all knew what was going on out there…

Just as Sanji was about to insist that they all go out and look for them, the door crashed open, and a hysterical Kaya came running through it. She was trembling uncontrollably, and had tears streaming down her face. She collapsed into Usopp’s arms, who held her tightly as she began to sob. 

In that moment, everybody in the room felt their blood run cold and their stomachs drop. The fact that Kaya was here and this upset could only mean one thing. Something had happened to Vivi, something terrible. And considering what had been happening on the news, they all had an awful feeling they knew exactly what that was. They just prayed that they were wrong, and the young blue haired omega was safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the first of the two main arcs that I have planned begins. I hope you don't hate me for the cliffhanger, and I promise to try and get to work on the next chapter asap. But like many of you I did go back to school last week, so I will be getting a little busier, but I am determined to find the time to work on this. And my goal is to never make you wait more than two weeks for a chapter.
> 
> But in the meantime I would love to hear any thoughts. What did you think? Any theories about what happened to Vivi? Any suggestions? Thank you for reading, and hopefully you will be hearing from me again soon!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened to Vivi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? Two chapters in one week? Are your eyes deceiving you? I assure you they are not! This is indeed a new chapter!!
> 
> Here I thought with school starting I would have no time to write, but luckily I like to procrastinate when it comes to school, so what better excuse than writing fan fiction? Seriously though, things may be getting a little hectic soon, so hopefully I can continue updating regularly.
> 
> Thank you everyone for the lovely comments from last chapter. I appreciate them as always. Unfortunately this chapter isn't very long, but I hope you enjoy it anyways. I started writing and when I got to the end of this chapter, originally it was suppose to be the half way point, but then I thought it actually felt like a pretty good spot to end the chapter, and that it might take me another week or so to write anymore and I figured why not give you something in the mean time? Anyway, I hope you enjoy and would love to hear any thoughts :D

It took Kaya several minutes to calm down enough to speak, and even then it was hard to understand her through her tears. But eventually she could be understood, and she confirmed what they had all been so badly hoping she would deny. 

For the past few weeks there has been a string of omega kidnappings all across the city, the occurrence of which was becoming more and more frequent. It had all started off with one omega girl going missing, everybody assuming she had just run away or something, but now, several weeks later, there were sometimes as many as 2-3 omega kidnappings a day. The police were investigating tirelessly, but seemed to be getting nowhere. It was as if all the girls simply disappeared off the face of the earth, leaving no traces…except for the pain in all of their family and friend’s hearts.

And the culprits were getting bolder and bolder as well. At first the kidnappings only happened at night, and only to omegas walking alone. But now the kidnappings were happening in broad daylight…one girl was even taken with her alpha court mate only a few feet away.

And they didn’t seem to be picky about who they were taking either. None of the omegas had many common traits that linked them together. They were different races, completely different weights, they had a variety of hair lengths and colors, and they even came from vastly different social backgrounds. The only thing that seemed to tie them together was the fact none of them were older than 25 and the fact that none of them were bonded, some were claimed, but none were bonded. What that meant exactly, nobody was quite sure of, but a few popular theories were circulating out there, from slavery to sex trafficking all the way to a highly prolific serial killer…all the theories were enough to make most peoples stomachs churn. 

But why they were being taken wasn’t as much of a concern to the police right now as stopping the kidnappings from happening. They had increased patrols, stationed officers 24/7 at popular omega locations, and several other things but nothing seemed to be working, the kidnappers would just find some new clever way to get around them. Short of implementing a mandatory omega curfew, or assigning a police officer to every unmated omega under the age of 25, they were at a complete loss. 

It seemed right now, in the city, no young unmated omega was safe. And with almost 50 omega girls missing, a state of widespread panic had begun to set in. A lot of unmated omegas weren’t even allowed to leave the house, basically being kept prisoner, because their loved ones were too afraid of what could happen. And with the number of missing girls, their fears certainly weren’t unfounded. 

Bellemere had wanted Nami to stay home, and have all of her homework sent to their house (a service most schools were offering to omegas until the crisis was resolved) but Nami had refused, and after promising to always have one of her future pack mates with her and to never forget her suppressants, Bellemere finally agreed. 

Sanji hadn’t really adjusted anything in his life, doubting they were interested in male omegas, and knowing he could defend himself anyway, but that didn’t seem to stop the rest of his future pack from subtly, or not so subtly, appearing when ever he needed to go somewhere. Like Luffy showing up when he had to go to the market to pick up ingredients for the restaurant (man had that been a disaster), or when Robin and Franky just so happened to be going to the same cooking class he had been going to the other day (with Franky there, that had also been a disaster), or when Usopp showed up one morning to join him on his morning jog (that had definitely been a disaster…but also hilarious…Sanji ended up having to carry Usopp back to his house, resulting in him having to walk home alone anyways), and then there was Zoro showing up to walk him to school, and to the mall, and to the movies, and to the pack bonding…they had been spending way more time together than Sanji had realized. And though his friend’s seemingly unnecessary concern sort of pissed him off, making him feel weak, he couldn’t help but be touched all the same. At least Zeff wasn’t treating him any differently…except for when he joined him at his savate lesson, something he had never done before, or when he actually came clothes shopping with him yesterday…dammit! 

“Would you be able to start from the beginning Kaya, and tell us what happened?” Robin asked, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. She knew panicking wouldn’t help anything right now, but it was increasingly hard to keep her cool. She had known Vivi for the past 6 years, since she was a little girl; she had practically watched her grow up before her very eyes, so thinking that something awful was happening to her made her sick to her stomach. She couldn’t even imagine what Cobra was going through…

“S-sure,” Kaya sniffed, trying to wipe away her tears, only for them to continue falling. “It started last week when a class mate of ours was kidnapped, it hit us all really hard, but it seemed to upset Vivi more than anybody. She is such a strong, independent omega…all the other omega girls in the school look up to her so much. They always come to her for advice; in a way I think she sort of felt responsible for them. So when one went missing, she was devastated.”

“Why didn’t she tell us about that?” Nami asked, feeling a pain in her chest at hearing that. Didn’t Vivi trust them enough to bring her problems to them? Isn’t that what a pack was for? Especially something as huge as this…this was something one person had no chance of solving, but a whole pack on the other hand was a different story.

“I’m not sure why, but she made me promise not to say anything. I thought maybe it was just too painful for her to think about, so she didn’t want to talk about it, but I’m not so sure anymore...”

“What do you mean?” Luffy asked, signaling for her to continue. 

“Another class mate of ours was taken yesterday, a second year that was barely 16…she had only presented last month. And I think that was the last straw. Even though I wouldn’t be surprised to learn if she was planning something crazy like this from the beginning, after our underclassmen was taken yesterday, she decided to do something drastic…she was supposed to pick me up at my house with a driver, but after she was a half hour late, and ignored all my calls, I decided to go pick her up at her house. But when I went to pick her up her father told me she had left over an hour ago to meet me. Apparently she told him that she was meeting me at a coffee shop around the corner, and convinced him to let her go alone with no driver or escort or anything…”

“You think she went out alone, hoping to get taken?” Sanji practically shouted, the nauseous feeling he had earlier returning. What the hell was she thinking? What was she hoping to accomplish? What was happening to her as they spoke?!

He felt his breathing increase, and his body begin to tremble ever so slightly. He felt hopeless, terrified, overwhelmed…so many different feelings were overtaking him at once that he began to worry he might get sick again, either that or possibly pass out. He was about to excuse himself, when he felt a large hand encircle his still shaking one.

His head snapped up to see that Zoro had made his way over to him, and was now standing right beside him, holding his hand. Normally he would rip his hand away and snap at him for doing something so _bold_ in front of everybody, but in that moment, everybody was so wrapped up in their current crisis, that no body seemed to notice. And he hated to admit it, but the second Zoro touched him, his body stopped shaking, and calmness came over him…stupid Marimo and his warm hands and his intoxicating scent. He would have to kick him later for this…but for now he settled for giving his hand a squeeze of gratitude instead, Zoro responding with a squeeze in return. 

“As crazy and stupid as it sounds, that is exactly what I think she wanted to happen.” Kaya finished, fresh tears spilling out of her eyes. She buried her head in Usopp’s neck, too overwhelmed to continue. 

Vivi had been her best friend since before she could remember. Not only were they neighbors, but their parents were also good friends, so they had literally grown up together. They had always went to the same schools, and ended up in the same classes. They had practically been attached at the hip, at least until she had met Usopp in middle school and they eventually met the rest of their future. But even though they weren’t constantly with each other anymore, they were still super close, so the idea that she knew something was wrong, and had foolishly kept her mouth shut, practically killed her.

“I just got off the phone with Cobra,” Robin said, re-entering the living room, phone in hand and a grim look on her face. “He has of course contacted the police, and just like always, they seem to have absolutely no leads…it’s looking like if we want any chance of finding her and the other omegas, we are going to have to think of _alternative_ means.” She said, putting emphasis on the word, hoping everybody would understand, and it seemed like their leader was already one step ahead of her.

“Understood,” Luffy nodded, already having his phone of to his ear, “but I don’t want you to even think of contacting _him_ under any circumstances. Do you got that?”

“Of course captain,” Robin nodded, all too happy to agree. She couldn’t lie and say the idea hadn’t crossed her mind, but she had put that part of her life behind her many years ago, and had wanted to keep it as far away from herself, her mate, and her future pack as possible.

“Hello, Ace?” Luffy spoke into the phone, the most serious look anybody had ever seen dawning his face. “I need your help.” And with those four words, everybody in the room felt both relief and apprehension…because with Whitebeard and his pack involved, things were going to get real intense real quick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it. Omegas are being snatched left and right, and Vivi purposely put here self in a vulnerable spot to be taken. Which officially brings us into our first official arc.
> 
> Hopefully this didn't seem to come out of nowhere. I had always been planning to include an arc like this, but then I realized as I was writing this that I hadn't mentioned anything about these kidnappings in previous chapters, even though it is obviously a huge city wide crisis and they have been going on for weeks…just chalk it up to Zoro and Sanji so wrapped up in their shit that they hadn't really had time to think about it until one of their own friends had been taken. 
> 
> And whose excited to meet Ace and some of the Whitebeard crew? I would love to hear any thoughts and theories you might have. And I am of course always open to any suggestions and always keep ideas in mind. For now, thank you for reading, and I will hopefully be getting you more really soon.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whitebeard's pack arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a roll here! XD Hopefully I can keep it up! Though the further into the semester I get, that's probably not likely.
> 
> Thank you to everyone that left comments and kudos for the last chapter, I appreciate them all!
> 
> Now I must warn, it is about 6:30 in the morning, and I wasn't able to sleep. So instead of trying sleep I wrote the second half of this chapter. I just re-read it and it doesn't seem too bad, so hopefully that's true, and it's not just my sleep addled brain playing tricks on me.
> 
> Enjoy!

Ace was over to the house in less than an hour, and he wasn’t alone. With him were several members of the Whitebeard pack including the 2nd alpha Marco, two more alphas, Jozu and Vista, as well as two betas, Thatch and his mate Izo. What they weren’t expecting was the head alpha Whitebeard himself to show up, but he stood there with them, towering well over the rest. 

“What’s going on Luffy?” Ace asked, sensing the thick tension that had settled over the room. “You said it was a code ‘out of meat’, you’ve never used such a serious code before…”

“What the hell kind of code system is that?” Marco blurted out without even thinking, regretting it instantly when he received a glare from several people in the room…obviously what ever was going on time was of the essence. 

“The code system me and Luffy came up when we were kids. It’s simple really… ‘code beef’ means everything is okay, ‘code pork’ means the other is dealing with a small issue, like getting a parking ticket or something like that. ‘Code chicken’ means something a little worse is going on, like when my car broke down and there was nothing for miles, and then there is ‘code fish’ which is even more serious than that…”

“What would be a code fish?” He could now officially feel a whole being glared into the back of his head…

“There was a time when I was kid and I was playing with fire and I nearly burned down a church…” 

“Damn…so a ‘code no meat’ comes after that?” 

“Actually, next would be ‘code tofu meat’ and then after that would be ‘code no meat’…which brings me back to my question. What the hell is going on Luffy?” Ace asked again, turning his attention back to his brother, who had yet to speak since they arrived. Luffy was always so loud, that when he got eerily silent like this; it definitely wasn’t a good thing. Not to mention his scent was incredibly powerful and intimidating at the moment…the only two omegas there stood together on the opposite of the room, likely overwhelmed by the scent. 

“I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent omega kidnappings,” Robin spoke, when it was clear Luffy was still far too worked up. Ever since Kaya was through telling them what happened, Luffy had been on edge, it was clear that Vivi’s disappearance was affecting him deeply. Even though the pack wasn’t officially created yet, Luffy was still the head alpha at heart, and that meant he felt an overwhelming need to protect everyone. A head alpha’s need to watch over everyone in the pack was almost as strong as an individual alpha’s need to protect their bonded mate. Which meant that Luffy was likely very close to snapping. 

Everybody in the room nodded, so Robin continued. “One of our future pack mates, an omega girl named Vivi, was taken by the kidnappers this evening.”

“Shit…” Ace muttered, instantly understanding his brother’s mood. He couldn’t even imagine how he would feel if something happened to one of his own pack mates, or to one of his two brothers. Even thinking about it caused his mood to darken considerably. 

“I’m very sorry to hear that.” Whitebeard said, his deep intimidating voice matching his equally intimidating appearance. “Even though we don’t have any omegas in our pack, we’ve actually tried looking into the disappearances ourselves.”

“Did you come up with anything?” Robin asked, feeling the tiniest spark of hope flare up inside of her, only for it to be distinguished by the grim look on the old alpha’s face. 

“Unfortunately none of our connections panned out…” Thatch sighed, “we even tried to put scent patches on Izo to disguise her as an omega, so we could watch from the shadows and catch whoever tried to take her, but the three times we tried we never got a bite…it could be a coincidence, but we are pretty sure they have ways to see through the scent patches.”

Everybody in the room stayed silent for a moment, trying to absorb the new information. So not even the notorious Whitebeard, leader of one of the ‘four great packs’ was able to get any leads…and if that was the case, then it was very likely that another of the four great packs was involved, and if that was true, then this was going to be so much harder than they could’ve ever imagined. 

“Do you think if you had an actual omega to use as bait, that we would be able to lure them out?” Sanji spoke; breaking the long, tense silence.

“We can’t say for sure…but with the amount of kidnappings that are occurring right now, it stands to reason that if we had an un-bonded omega that fit the age range that sooner or later they would take the bait. But we don’t have any omegas in our pack, and we would never ask another omega to take such a risk.” Marco replied.

“What about me?” Sanji asked, stepping forward, ignoring his instinct to stay as far away from Luffy’s scent as he could get. Normally he would be embarrassed about being so effected by a scent like that, but it really was powerful. The betas were also keeping their distance, and even Zoro seemed to be an extra few steps away.

“No.” Zoro spoke up, without even hesitating, receiving the nastiest glare he had ever seen from the cook in return.

“That’s not really your decision, now is it?” Sanji hissed, before turning back to Ace and the rest of the Whitebeard pack. “I’m an un-bonded omega, I’m under 25, I’m highly trained in martial arts so I can protect myself, and I know the risks. Vivi is a dear friend, and a future pack mate, I would do anything to get her back.”

“He does look strong…” Whitebeard hummed, after considering the blonde’s words. Normally he wouldn’t even consider sending in an omega, especially not one so young, unless he personally knew them and had trained them himself, but he could see the strength in this omega, and the fire and determination burning in his eyes. And considering their current predicament, they were very short on time, so the faster they could set the trap the better.

“Absolutely not!” Zoro snapped, stepping forward as well, until he was face to face with the blonde omega. “Do you know how reckless that is? How stupid? These guys have kidnapped nearly 50 omegas over the last month, evading police and everybody else that is out looking for them! Not even the Whitebeard pack had any leads!”

“So?! What the hell is your point Zoro? This is about Vivi! She is our friend! Our pack mate! Do you expect me to just sit back and do nothing? To let her get hurt?! Or killed!” Sanji yelled, no longer able to control the volume of his voice, or apparently the tears stinging his eyes. He hated making a scene like this in front of so many people, but right now he was so angry he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“I understand that, and I promise we will figure something out! But the fact that these guys have gotten this far means they shouldn’t be messed with. Even if we say we will be watching from a distance, there is no guarantee we will be able to get there in time!”

“You don’t think I would be able to protect myself!?”

“That’s not the point Sanji! I know you’re strong, I know you can protect yourself! But this isn’t just some random nothing criminal! This is so much bigger than that. There could even be one of the great packs behind this! And you just want to put yourself out there and risk ending up like Vivi? Who would you be able to help then? You are not using yourself as bait and that’s final! Do you understand me?” Zoro commanded, knowing instantly that he crossed a line. He had never used his supposed ‘alpha’ voice before…he hadn’t meant to use it now. He hated that alphas even had this ability, and a long time ago he had vowed to never use it against anyone. But something in him, something powerful, was telling him to keep Sanji safe, to keep him as far away from danger as he could. He wasn’t sure he could disobey this feeling even if he wanted to…it was so much more powerful than anything else he had ever experienced in his life.

Zoro looked to see that Sanji had his neck exposed in submission, and had a horrified look painted on his face. Everybody else in the room also had looks of varying degrees of shock and horror…and in Nami’s case, absolute rage.

The silence in the room was deafening, nobody even daring to breathe. All eyes were now on the two individuals in the center of the room, wondering how this was going to play out, and if they should intervene before it got even uglier. 

“How dare you…” Sanji hissed, feeling his entire body begin to shake in anger. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Sure he heard that some alphas had the ability to command and control omegas (particularly powerful alphas could even command betas) but he would never have thought that he could be vulnerable to that. But when he heard Zoro’s voice, something in him flared up, something he couldn’t control, and before he could stop himself his body reacted. 

“I agree with Zoro. I don’t like the idea of putting another of my pack mates in danger.” Luffy chose that moment to speak for the first time, his words only adding to Sanji’s humiliation. Did no one think he was capable of handling himself? Didn’t they realize that this was the quickest way to find Vivi and the other omegas?

Sanji straightened himself back up, finally able to shack off his damn instincts that had forced him to submit. He was still beyond humiliated, and wanted nothing more than to _destroy_ Zoro for doing this to him, but he was able to push that feeling down. He knew finding Vivi was the most important thing and he refused to lose sight of that. He would just have to destroy Zoro later…

“Despite what we agreed, you are _not_ my alpha, and you have no right to tell me what to do.” Sanji said, able to keep his voice eerily calm despite the anger that was still coursing through him. “And until the pack bonding is official, you are not my pack leader.” He added, glancing over at Luffy.

“Sanji…” Nami began, seeing her mate flinch at the blonde’s words. The bond may not be official yet, but in their hearts they were already a pack and Luffy their leader, so she knew that hearing that must’ve hurt.

“No Nami, I don’t care. This is about Vivi. Nothing else matters right now…” Sanji said, and she couldn’t really argue. 

She was torn. On the one hand she agreed with Luffy and Zoro, and wanted Sanji to stay safe no matter what. On the other hand, Vivi was her dear friend, and she would do anything to get her back as well. Hell, she would’ve even offered herself as bait, but already knew how that would turn out…not even Sanji would entertain that idea.

“I’ll do it, I’ll use myself as bait.” Sanji said, turning back toward Whitebeard and his pack, ignoring the angry scent Zoro began emitting. But no matter how mad the stupid jerk got, he would not change his mind. He could do this, he was sure of it. In fact, he would bet there was no other omega in the city that would be better qualified to do this than he was.

“I won’t put a plan into motion if your alpha and head alpha are against it.” Whitebeard said, crossing his arms firmly. They may be young, and their pack might not be official, but he could see the potential in them. He knew one day they would make a great ally, and wouldn’t be surprised if Luffy led his pack beyond that of the four great packs. He would not risk damaging that future relationship with them by going against his wishes. 

He could sense the blonde was about to protest, so he held up his hand and continued. “That being said, I will continue to look into these disappearances, and help you in anyway I can. I have an ally that is a detective and she is keeping me appraised of any knew developments, so I’ll be sure to keep you updated about that as well.”

“Thank you, we appreciate that.” Luffy said, finally calm enough to speak normally and think rationally. And now that his mind was clear, he took a few minutes to mentally go over everything that was discussed, and began to think that maybe he jumped the gun a little bit. His need to keep the rest of his friends safe was so strong, that he had shut down the idea of using Sanji as bait without really thinking about it. But maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all…they could keep an eye on him, and when someone went to take him, they could jump whoever it was and make them reveal where the omegas were being kept. Considering there were no other leads, and their options were limited, it was looking more and more like the best choice.

“Sanji…” Luffy began; freezing instantly when he noticed something was missing. There were so many new, strong alpha scents in the room right now, that it made it difficult to distinguish between them, but now that he was looking for it, he noticed a specific scent was missing…actually, two specific scents were missing “Where is Sanji and Zoro?”

Everybody else looked around the room in surprise, all of them having been blinded by the new smells as well. 

“I saw the blonde sneak out of here a few minutes ago, when pops finished speaking,” Izo spoke up, earning everybody’s attention. “The green-haired alpha seemed to notice and left after him. I figured they probably just needed some alone time to talk, after what just happened.” She shrugged, not understanding the worried looks that were now forming on their faces.

“Oh no…” Luffy muttered, all of a sudden having an awful feeling. He sniffed out their lingering scents in the air, and took off after them without hesitation, ignoring the shouts of confusion from his mate and friends. He should’ve known something like this might happen after he was shut down like that…he just hoped that Sanji didn’t doing anything rash and that Zoro was able to catch up to him in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So…thoughts? Questions? Concerns?
> 
> I hope the chapter flowed alright, and nothing seemed too rushed. The next chapter will start off with Sanji's thoughts when Whitebeard turned down the plan of using him as bait, and how he snuck out.
> 
> Another quick thing I wanted to mention. It wasn't a mistake, I used 'she' pronouns for Izo on purpose. I wanted to make them a trans character, but there was no point where I could really mention it, so I just used the 'she' pronoun anyway. Just thought I would make a note of it so you didn't think I was confused :)
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading. I would love to hear your thoughts. And I hope to bring you more real soon!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have reached chapter 20! I can hardly believe it! There was a while there where I was struggling to write this, and would go months in between updates (as I'm sure you already know) but thanks to all your support and patiences my love and inspiration for this story have been renewed! And I can't see myself slowing down with this story anytime soon! (Watch, as soon as I say that I lose my inspiration and can't write the next chapter…hopefully that doesn't happen though!)
> 
> Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews for the last chapter. I appreciate them all, and I really hope you enjoy this one as well!

“I won’t put a plan into motion if your alpha and head alpha are against it.” Whitebeard said, crossing his arms firmly, causing Sanji freeze in disbelief. Was he for real? Hadn’t he heard what he just said? Whatever ties he might have to Luffy and Zoro, he was still an independent omega, and was perfectly capable of making his own decisions. It infuriated him that he would even suggest he couldn’t do something because somebody else said so. What was he, a child?

It took every ounce of his being to keep his anger in check and not cause a complete scene. He was about to try one more time to convince them when the old alpha lifted up his hand, as if to shush him before he could even begin.

“That being said, I will continue to look into these disappearances, and help you in any way I can. I have an ally that is a detective and she is keeping me appraised of any new developments, so I’ll be sure to keep you updated about that as well.” Whitebeard said, but at this point Sanji had already stopped listening. It appeared they were determined to keep him from doing this, but he refused to accept that.

They didn’t have days, weeks, or months to come up with another plan. Lord knows what would happen to Vivi in that time, and he could not, _would_ not, wait around helplessly and do nothing. Vivi was his friend, future pack mate, as well as a fellow omega. He wasn’t sure if that fact was making this whole situation even harder…all he knew is that he wanted to find her and protect her, just like she had wanted to find her school friends and protect them.

Sanji looked around the room; Luffy and the others appeared to be deep in thought, all likely trying to come up with another plan. Even Zoro seemed distracted…he could probably get one hell of a kick in before he even realized what was happening…but again, getting back at that bastard for using his ‘alpha voice’ could wait. Right now looked like his best chance to slip out unnoticed, which is exactly what he did. 

Izou, if he remembered her name correctly, was standing closest to the entrance of the living room, so there was a good chance that she had seen him, but other wise he appeared to be successful. Thanks to his training, he was able to keep his step light and quick. He was down the hall and out the front door in the blink of an eye.

Once he stepped out side, he took a brief moment to allow the crisp winter’s air to help wake up his senses and clear his mind. He knew what he was about to do was risky, and he would even be willing to call it stupid, but even if it put his own life at risk, if it meant getting a chance to save his friend then it would all be worth it. 

He would use himself as bait, even without anybody there to watch over him. His plan only went as far as that, but he was sure he could come up with something as he went along. He just had to hope that they would be interested in male omegas as well, and that they would take the bait. 

He started walking down the stone path that connected Robin and Franky’s house to the street when the briefest hints of a familiar smoky scent began reaching his nose. _Shit!_ Zoro must have noticed he was gone, and by the smell of it, he wasn’t happy. 

Sanji took off in a sprint, knowing that if anything he was faster than the alpha. Whether or not he had more stamina than him and could keep going for as long, he wasn’t sure. But as long as he stayed out of sight and out of reach there was still a chance that the kidnappers would notice him and take him before Zoro could catch up to him.

He headed toward the river, a scarcely populated area that mainly consisted of old warehouses and factories. This was one of the few pockets of town that seemed to be popular amongst the kidnappers, and right now it was the closest of those areas to Robin and Franky’s. 

It took him a good 20 minutes to reach the area, but he made it there without Zoro catching up. Considering he had a couple minutes head start, and that he was faster than the older teen, he figured he had about 10 minutes to wander around the area and hope that he was taken. And if Zoro caught up with him before than, he could always try running again…

He took a few moments to catch his breath, the run having affected him more than he assumed it would. And the symptoms of his food poisoning also chose that moment to start acting up again as well. He was sure he would be spilling the contents of his stomach again, if he had eaten anything since the last time. He took a few more deep breaths, before pushing aside his nausea and starting to walk around the area.

The streets were dark; the few streetlights that used to illuminate the area were all either broken of burnt out, the city apparently seeing no use in replacing them. Most of the factories and warehouses were abandoned, only a few remaining in operation, and they were closed at this time of night. He wasn’t really sure why anyone, let alone an omega, would even want to wander around this area and how the kidnappers found so many victims here…though he heard rumors about large scale parties that were often thrown in the abandoned buildings, so he supposed intoxicated individuals would make good targets…maybe he would be lucky and there would be one of those parties going on right now…

A few more minutes of wandering around didn’t turn up much, the area was virtually abandoned at the moment, and he began to lose hope, knowing that Zoro was likely to show up any minute. In fact, if he concentrated really hard he could smell hints of Zoro’s scent in the air, and he wasn’t alone, another familiar scent caught his attention too. It smelt almost of rubber, but not in a particularly bad way…Luffy was following him as well, which definitely put a kink in his plan. Zoro he could probably out run again, but Luffy was faster than he looked, and had endless energy, it wouldn’t take the younger alpha long to catch up. 

He weighed his options, preparing to try and run anyway, when a third, and fourth scent caught his attention. They weren’t very strong, most likely from betas, so he hadn’t noticed them before, but they were getting stronger with every step he took. He had to be getting close.

He got to the end of an alleyway, about to turn a corner, when he heard the two individuals that the scents belonged to whispering. One was clearly a woman, the other a man. He couldn’t tell much from their voices alone, and would need to get closer to actually hear what they were saying, but he did pick up on the word ‘omega’ being said a number of times. He felt like it was probably a long shot, and felt it was a stretch that a pair of betas would be the kidnappers (not that he liked to stereotype like that) but right now it was his only shot.

He rounded the corner, his presences instantly known by the two individuals, whose eyes snapped his way. He tried to play it nonchalant, like he just happened to be out for an evening stroll, as he felt them size him up. After seeing him, and realizing that the omega scent in the air belonged to him, they began whispering amongst themselves again…that could be promising.

The beta woman had green hair, and a striking set of yellow eyes. Even at a distance he could make them out, he couldn’t imagine that they were natural and thought that they were probably some sort of contact lens. Her outfit was rather strange; she wore a green tank top, a black skirt, and yellow and orange striped leggings. The outfit was completed by a cheap set of angel wings…maybe they weren’t the kidnappers and were just going to a party or something? Because the man was also dressed rather oddly. He was wearing a yellow striped onesie, underneath a purple trench coat, and he had some sort of fake horns on his head…what the hell kind of party were they going to?

After observing the two individuals he decided that they couldn’t possibly be the kidnappers, and began to walk away…maybe if he hurried he could make it downtown before Zoro and Luffy caught up to him. Downtown had seen far more kidnappings then anywhere else, despite the extra 20-30 minutes it would’ve taken to get there, he probably should’ve just went there in the first place… 

He was almost back on to the main road, when someone grabbed him from behind. They had been so quiet, and it was as if their scents had disappeared because he could no longer smell them at all. He had no idea they were following him before they actually grabbed him. So apparently his instincts were off…the strangely dressed duo were indeed the kidnappers, the woman appearing before him with a dark look clouding her face. She began spraying him down with something, probably the same scent blocker that had erased their scents, so that nobody could follow his. That definitely answered a few questions on how they were able to pull off these kidnappings.

“What are you doing, let me go,” he said, trying to sound as scared as he could possibly manage, which seemed to work when he received a cruel laugh in return.

“I don’t think so pretty boy…you’re the first male omega we’ve come across. The boss will definitely want a look at you.” The woman sneered, getting uncomfortably close to his face. She wasn’t an unattractive woman, so under other circumstances he might even be pleased to have her so close to him…but the mocking look she wore, and the coldness in her eyes, erased any sort of perceivable beauty. She was a monster, and he wanted nothing more than to be as far away from her, and her partner, as he could get. But obviously that wasn’t part of the plan. He grit his teeth and continued his charade. 

“Help me!” He half-heartedly cried out, pretending to struggle against the hold. He had to hold back quiet a bit, the man definitely wasn’t the strongest and he could easily break out of this if he wanted to. Despite the scent blockers he started to wonder again how these two could manage to take so many people unnoticed, when they were both obviously inferior physically, when his answer came in the form of a small glass vial being shoved under his nose.

The woman opened the small bottle, releasing some sort of gas from it. His eyes widened in realization…being drugged had NOT been part of the plan. How was he supposed to fight his way out with Vivi, if he was weakened or impaired in anyway? 

He started to second guess this whole thing, realizing, begrudgingly, that maybe Zoro was right. Maybe this was more than he could handle alone. Maybe he should’ve been patient and waited for the others to come up with an alternative plan. Maybe he shouldn’t have acted on emotions and emotions alone. 

But it was too late, even if he wanted to break free now; the gas was too fast acting. He could already feel his body weaken, and his consciousness slip away. 

“Sanji!” He thought he heard a voice in the distance call out to him, a very familiar voice…Zoro? Was he there? Had he come for him? Or was it just his mind playing tricks on him? At this point he couldn’t say.

“Shit, we better get out of here.” The woman said.

“Agreed,” the man said, before he picked Sanji up, and flung him over his shoulder. He was surprised the man could even carry him like that. Maybe he was stronger than he had thought? “I wonder if the boss will let me experiment on him? I’ve never seen a male omega before, other than that gloomy bastard, and I’m not allowed to touch him…” 

“I doubt it. You know he doesn’t like you marking up specimens that he can use. And I have a feeling he will definitely be able to use this one.” The woman laughed, causing a chill to run down his spine.

He had no idea what they were talking about, but it certainly wasn’t anything good. He just prayed that this drug didn’t stay in his system long, and that he would be able to keep Vivi and himself safe…at least until their friends could find them. 

_Marimo…I’m sorry._

He might have just made the biggest mistake of his life. 

…

Zoro couldn’t believe what he had just done…had he really just used his alpha voice, and on Sanji of all people? What the hell was he thinking?! It had taken them so long to mend things between them, after nearly 6 weeks of tension, anger, and cold shoulders, things were finally looking up. And just like that, with only a few words, he had screwed things up worse than he had before. There was no way the blonde was going to forgive him this time! And that thought hurt so bad, that he physically ached. 

He looked up to see Sanji, to try and get an idea of just how angry he was, only to not be able to spot the blonde at all. What they hell? He scanned the room a second time to make sure, but came up empty again, and instantly felt something was terribly wrong.

Sanji had wanted to help Vivi no matter the cost, and he was just shut down and humiliated in front of everybody…what would he do if the roles were reversed and that had happened to him? He would want to save his friend no mater what anybody said… _shit_.

He honed in on any lingering traces of the blonde’s scent, and just like he thought, it trailed out of the living room and out of the front door. This wasn’t good, this wasn’t good at all…if one of the great packs was involved, which was looking more and more likely, than he was in trouble, no matter how strong he was. Why didn’t Sanji understand that? Why was he so damn stubborn? Did he not understand what large scale packs were capable of?

He had only ever heard rumors himself about the four great packs, but every rumor he had ever heard was usually equal parts impressive and terrifying. Especially when it came to the Big Mom pack, and Kaido’s ‘Beast’ pack, both were rumored to be merciless. A lot of the members of those two packs were actually wanted criminals, but they were so protected by their packs and their influence, that they were basically untouchable. 

The other two of the four great packs, the Whitebeard pack, and Red Hair Shank’s pack, were a little less terrifying, at least in the sense that they didn’t go out of their way to commit crimes, and as long as you left them alone and didn’t hurt the ones they cared about, then you had nothing to worry about. But if you did do something to cross them…nothing could keep you safe.

These thoughts in mind, Zoro was already out the door, desperately chasing after Sanji’s lingering scent. He couldn’t be too far ahead, only minutes had past between when Sanji had last spoke to Whitebeard and he had noticed he was missing. But despite that, he knew how fast the blonde was, and if Sanji didn’t want to be caught, then he wouldn’t be. The only thing he could hope for was that Sanji stopped to rest somewhere, and when he did, that he stayed safe long enough for him to get there. 

Several minutes passed, when a gust of wind alerted him to the fact that he was being followed. Luffy…he should’ve known the younger alpha would realize something was wrong. And he was definitely glad that he did. It reassured him that he would have back up if he needed it, whether it be for fighting off kidnappers, or fighting off a particular blonde omega who would NOT be pleased to see him.

“Zoro!” The younger alpha shouted, closing the lingering gap between them. “Have you spotted him yet?”

“No….but I think we are getting close.” Zoro said grimly, picking up his pace once he realized the area of town they were entering. It made sense why the blonde would head here, several victims having been taken from this area over the past month. 

“He’s definitely here somewhere,” Luffy agreed, as the abandoned warehouses and factories came into view. His scent was getting so strong. _Thank God,_ he thought, _looks like nothing bad has happened._

They both continued sprinting toward the source of the scent when they stopped, freezing mid-step. Something had just happened. Something was wrong. The strong presence of the scent that was there seconds ago just disappeared…completely.

“Sanji!” Zoro shouted, looking around frantically, but only seeing dark abandoned buildings surrounding him. What the hell just happened? Where was he? He began sprinting around, desperately trying to find any traces of the blonde, ignoring the shouts of Luffy from behind him telling him to calm down. Calm down? How the hell was he supposed to calm down?! His ma….his friend was in danger, and he had to find him! He had to, he had to, he had to! “SANJI!”

“Zoro!” Luffy shouted, grabbing his arm and roughly yanking it so the older alpha turned towards him. He could see the fear and desperation in his eyes, and understood what that meant immediately. But that conversation could wait for another day, right now Zoro wasn’t thinking rationally, and he needed him to calm down if he wanted to be of any help to Sanji. 

“Let me go! I need to find him!” Zoro growled, trying to yank his arm out of Luffy’s hold, but it was useless.

“I know, but running around aimlessly isn’t going to help! Take a moment to calm down, and you will realize that the last traces of Sanji’s scent are coming from over there.” Luffy said, pointing in the opposite direction that Zoro had been running. 

Zoro took a deep breath, realizing to his horror that Luffy was right. He had let himself get so worked up that he had made a stupid mistake and cost them precious time. “I’m sorry.”

Luffy nodded, letting go of the other alpha’s arm when he smelled his frantic scent dissipate. “Let’s go.”

Neither alpha hesitated as they ran off toward the alley way on the other side of the road, where the faint lingering traces of Sanji’s scent remained. Before they could get there, a large black van came screeching out of the alleyway, nearly hitting them as it sped toward the road, accelerating at an insane rate. 

“You don’t think…” Zoro began to ask, his voice below as whisper, as he watched the dark van disappear into the darkness of the night. It had happened so fast…they didn’t even have time to look for a license plate…

He heard Luffy sigh from beside him, and a new feeling of dread began to overtake him. No…they weren’t too late. They couldn’t be! Sanji was safe somewhere, waiting for them, he had to be. He had too…

“Come on, let’s take a look.” Luffy said, snapping Zoro back to reality. He looked away from the silent abandoned road, back towards his friend, the pained look on his face confirming his fear. Sanji was gone. They had been too late.

He felt numb as he followed the other alpha down the alleyway, the last traces of the blonde’s scent disappearing quickly on the cold winter winds. There was nothing, absolutely nothing… no sign of a struggle, no evidence that anyone had even been there. But he supposed these kidnappers wouldn’t have gotten away with it for so long if they left any sort of evidence behind. It was as if the dingy stone walls and cracked streets had saw nothing.

“We should get back to the house…the situation has changed.” Luffy said, that intense angry scent of his from earlier slowly returning. 

As helpless and desperate as Zoro felt in that moment, the fact that he had a friend, a leader, like Luffy by his side made him feel a little better. He knew of Luffy’s strength, and how he wouldn’t stop at anything to protect his friends. 

_Please cook,_ he mentally pleaded, _please just keep yourself out of trouble until we get there. Luffy will come for you. I will come for you. I promise. Please just keep yourself safe in the meantime. And whatever you do, don’t provoke them. Don’t fight them. Don’t doing anything that you would normally do. Please…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know we were all hoping they would make it there in time…but what kind of intense suspenseful arc would that be? I apologize for the cliffhanger (aren't all chapters sort of like cliffhangers?) and will try to make sure you get the next chapter sooner rather than later. My current aim is to update at least once a week, probably on the weekends, but if I continue writing at the pace I have been and get far enough ahead, then I may post twice a week.
> 
> So thank you for reading, and I would love to hear any thoughts you may have. :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are once again! Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter, I appreciate it! And I really hope you all enjoy this chapter as well! :D

His head was pounding so badly that he could almost cry. It literally felt like someone was trying to split it in two. He wasn’t sure if he had ever felt something so painful in his life, and considering he grew up with his brothers, he was no stranger to pain. On top of that, he felt cold, dizzy, and everything was dark…

What was happening? What was going on? Where the hell was he? He couldn’t remember anything…he began to panic, feeling around himself for anything that might tell him where he was. But all he could feel was a cold concrete floor, and what felt like an itchy old blanket. He kept feeling around until his hand knocked into something, causing cold water to splash all over him. “Shit,” he hissed, instantly feeling even more chilled as the water soaked into his clothes. Why the hell was there a bowl of water on the floor anyway?

“Sanji? Sanji, is that you? I can’t believe it. Can you hear me?” A gentle female voice spoke. It was so calm, so composed, and so familiar…

“Vivi?!” He practically shouted, bolting upright, but regretting it instantly. His head gave a painful throb, causing him to collapse back to the hard ground with a loud thud.

“Fuck,” he hissed, cradling his still aching head. What the hell was wrong with him? Why did his head hurt so badly? And why couldn’t he see? He didn’t feel a blindfold on his face, and he knew his eyes were definitely open…he thought maybe the room was just really dark, so he placed one of his heads right in front of his face to make sure, but nothing. Holy shit! He was blind!

“Calm down, it’s okay.” Vivi reassured him, seeing the look of horror on the blonde’s face, knowing she had a similar look of her own just a few hours earlier. “It’s only temporary. Some lingering affect of the gas they used on us. The headache should disappear, and you should get your eye sight back within the hour.”

“Oh…” Sanji sighed, feeling momentarily relieved. When the reality of the situation began sinking back in. He had been so distracted by his pain and panic that he completely forgot what had happened, and why he was here in the first place. But all the memories slowly came back to him. Finding out Vivi was missing…calling Whitebeard’s pack for help…being told that he wasn’t allowed to use himself as bait, but deciding to do it anyway…

“Vivi-chan, are you alright? They didn’t hurt you, did they?” Sanji asked first, needing to know before he could even think about anything else.

“Not really, no…unless you count my pride I guess.” She sighed. “I was so stupid. I thought…I thought if I was taken then I could find some way to escape with my friends. But all I’ve been able to do is sit here helplessly. My friends from school aren’t even in this room! God I’m such an idiot.” She sniffed. Sanji might not be able to see her, but he could hear the pain in her words, and could tell that she was struggling to hold back tears. She was still trying to be so strong, even now when anyone else would allow themselves to break…

He slowly pulled himself toward the sound of her voice; careful not to move his pounding head more than he had to, and careful to avoid the water bowl again, when he was stopped by something, something cold, slender, and made out of metal. Bars…

“We’re in cages,” she muttered, “and I already tried, but they have absolutely no weaknesses.”

He knew they were likely locked in a room and not allowed to wander around freely, but cages…really? That seemed like overkill. What were they afraid a bunch of drugged up omegas would do?

“Is there anything else you have found out?” He asked, figuring if there was nothing else he could do at the moment, that he could at least start gathering some information and try and formulate some sort of plan.

“Not a lot unfortunately…all I know is that there are 10 different cages in this room, so hopefully all of the other girls are in another room…and I know someone comes in to check on us every 30-60 minutes or so. They haven’t provided any food since I’ve been here, but they do leave us a bowl of water, and from what some of the other girls have said, it sounds like they do give us something to eat at least once a day. Other then that, I haven’t really been able to get anything out of them. As you can imagine, they’re all terrified.”

“Yeah, I can understand that…” Sanji muttered, not needing to elaborate further, Vivi understanding what he meant…they were all terrified. 

A silence fell between them as Sanji thought over everything he was told. The only sound that broke the silence was the muffled sobs coming from a few of the other girls in the room. Sanji wished he could see them, wished he could come up with something to say to reassure them, that he could promise them all that everything was going to be okay and that they shouldn’t worry…but he couldn’t do that. He would never falsely get their hopes up, only to have them broken. And as confident as he was in his friends, the truth of the matter remained that these disappearances had been going on for a month, and absolutely nobody had any leads. Luffy, Zoro, and the others might be extra motivated now, but he couldn’t assume that they were going to find them with no issues. He needed to prepare himself that they were going to be there for a few days at least, and he needed to find someway to keep Vivi and the others safe while they waited.

“Sanji?” Vivi began hesitantly, breaking the silence in the room.

“Yes Vivi-chan?” He replied, turning toward her. Or at least turning in the general direction he assumed she was in. He really couldn’t wait for this drug to wear off…maybe he would be able to think better once he got his eye-sight back and could properly look around the room and examine these cages.

“W-why are you here? I mean, obviously you were taken like me, but…you did this for me, didn’t you? You put yourself in danger because I’m an absolute idiot…” He could hear her voice begin to shake. It seemed she was finally reaching her breaking point, and that sound absolutely broke his heart.

“That’s not true Vivi, don’t say that. And remember, if you’re an absolute idiot, then so am I. I ended up doing the exact same thing that you did after all. But I definitely don’t think you’re an idiot. You are a kind, caring, compassionate woman, who only wanted to help people she cared about. You might not have went about it in the best way, but still, there’s nothing stupid about that.”

“But now you’re stuck in here too, locked in a cage and being treated like an animal, and it’s all because of me!”

“Just like you were capable of making a decision, so was I. Things might seem shitty now, even hopeless, but I don’t regret it…because now I get to be here with you. And I know we will be able to keep each other strong, and that we will get through this together.” And he meant it. 

He was willing to admit that the whole situation terrified him. But now that he was here, and he had a better understanding of what was happening to the omegas, the idea of Vivi having to go through this alone terrified him even more. They were future pack mates; they would always be stronger together.

“Thank you, thank you Sanji…thank you.” She sobbed, not even caring about the scene she was making anymore. She had been trying so hard to remain strong and pretend that she wasn’t afraid, that so much emotion had built up. She wasn’t sure she could stop the tears from flowing now even if she wanted to.

Sanji stayed silent, allowing her to cry, cursing again that he couldn’t see her, and that there wasn’t more he could do to comfort her. He sat at the edge of his cage, sticking one of his hands through the bars, just to see if he could feel the cage next to him, when a warm slender hand encircled his own. He could tell right away that it was Vivi’s, so he gave it the tightest squeeze he could, at least without possibly hurting her. She responded with a squeeze of her own, to reassure him just as much as he was trying to reassure her. 

His stomach chose that moment to give an uncomfortable churn, an unfortunate reminder that on top of everything else he was dealing with, that he still had do deal with the aftermath of Patty’s cooking. That was just great…

“Are you okay Sanji? You’re looking a little pale.” Vivi asked, worried that her friend was reacting badly to the drug in his system. 

“Of course my dove,” Sanji said, forcing a smile on his face. His free hand subconsciously going to his abdomen, trying to massage out the cramping feeling he was beginning to experience. “I’m just fine.” He assured her.

He just prayed that like the drug in his system that this food poisoning wore off soon…the last thing he wanted was to get sick in front of all these ladies. His stomach cramped again, almost painfully this time, and he knew he might not have a choice in the matter.

He felt another squeeze to his hand that was still linked with Vivi’s, and tried to hold on to that small feeling of comfort. Everything was going to be okay…it just had to be. 

…

Zoro couldn’t calm down; he couldn’t think clearly, he was numb to everything around him. How could this of happened? How could he have let it happen? How could Sanji be gone? No, this had to be some sort of joke. Sanji was probably waiting back at the house with everybody…this was probably just his punishment for using his alpha voice…how he wished that was true.

He had no idea how long they had been walking and hadn’t even realized that they had arrived back at the house until the thick wall of scents hit him. He held on to a brief hope that he might be able to pick out the smell of fresh baked bread amongst the crowd, but was disappointed. There was however a scent that wasn’t there before, a scent he wasn’t expecting, a scent that belonged to a person he had no idea how to face.

“The little red haired girl called me and said Sanji ran off somewhere…did you find him? Where is he?” The deep rough voice of the older alpha demanded, his wooden leg thumping against the floors as he made his way across the room. “Where’s Sanji? Please tell me the little shit is just outside have a smoke or something.”

Everybody in the room held their breath, waiting for a response, all of them likely guessing what happened, but none of them wanting to believe it. Neither Luffy nor Zoro could bring themself to say anything, which was all the answer Zeff needed.

He tried to stay calm, he tried to remember that they were just kids, he tried to remind himself in all likelihood this was probably the eggplant’s fault…but he couldn’t stay calm. Sanji was like a son to him…no, he _was_ his son, and the idea that his boy’s life was now in danger…especially if his theory was correct…he just couldn’t process that. Before he could think it over and stop himself, he slammed his fist into the green-haired kids face, knocking him to the ground.

“You son of a bitch!” He shouted, grabbing the kid by the jacket to pull him closer so he could slam his fist into his face once again. “The idiot might not have liked it, but you are his alpha! You’re supposed to watch out for him! Keep him safe!”

Everybody in the room stared at the scene, frozen in complete shock, not sure what they were supposed to do, as the older alpha continued to punch the younger. Luffy and Ace were the first to snap out of it, having to use far more strength then they would have thought to pull the older alpha off Zoro.

“It wasn’t Zoro’s fault. He tried to stop Sanji. He actually forbid him from doing it.” Nami said, despite all the intense alpha scents whirling around in the room, compelling her to stay silent. 

“You what?! You forbid him?” Zeff snapped, keeping his eyes trained on Zoro, ignoring the omega girl completely. “Are you some kind of complete moron?! Have you ever met the damn brat before?! How the hell did you think forbidding him from doing something was going to go over?!”

“I-I wasn’t thinking okay! I wasn’t thinking!” Zoro snapped back, finally being able to speak, ignoring the fact that his entire face felt like it had just been shattered. “Sanji was insisting he use himself as bait, and I knew he wouldn’t listen to reason, so I don’t know! I just snapped! I felt this uncontrollable urge to keep him safe…I-I didn’t mean too…”

“Hmm…” Zeff sighed, it seemed he had calmed down enough that Luffy and Ace were able to release him. “I suppose I can’t fault you for that, especially if my theory turns out to be correct, then it’s understandable that your instincts to protect him would be so strong…”

“What theory would that be?” Robin asked, looking at the old alpha curiously. Zeff looked over at her and could see something in her eyes, something that told him that she likely had the same suspicion, which would be incredibly impressive considering she was a beta. This must be the ‘super smart and beautiful Robin-chan’ the kid was always going on about. 

“Forget about that for now, I want to know what the plan is to get him back.” Zeff said, turning away from the woman’s piercing gaze, before he accidently gave anything away. He figured it was better they come up with a plan first before he even thought about revealing his theory. It would only cause more panic, and nobody would be able to think clearly…especially the green-haired kid. They might not even be able to control him if he found out…

He just hoped that his theory was either wrong, or that the eggplant realized it sooner rather than later. If he didn’t, then there was a good chance at some point he was going to do something stupid, and he would be risking so much more than himself without even realizing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it wasn't the longest, but I barely had time to write this much in between essays and studying. The next chapter I have planned will be much longer. Hopefully I don't take too long to get it to you. 
> 
> In the meantime I would love to hear any thoughts or theories. Like what Sanji ate to cause this food poisoning of his? And what the heck the theory Zeff is talking about, haha. Thanks for reading! :D


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to wait a few more days to post this, but the response I got for the last chapter was so amazing, I decided to post it early! And as promised it is extra long, this might even be my longest chapter yet at about 6,000 words! 
> 
> Please enjoy!!! :D

Sanji groaned, his entire body aching from lying on the hard concrete floor. He hadn’t even realized he had fallen asleep, and had no idea how much time had passed since he had, but judging from the light that was peaking through the thick red curtains hanging in the windows, several hours must’ve gone by. 

He sat up slowly, not sure how his head would react to any sudden movements. The pain he had experienced last night was gone, but he didn’t want to take any chances. He needed a clear, pain free mind, if we were going to come up with any sort of plan.

Once he was fully sitting up, he began looking around the room, finally able to see his surroundings. And what he saw certainly wasn’t what he was expecting. He had assumed they were in a dark, dungeon like basement or something. Instead, they were in a large, lavish, room.

The floors were hardwood, the walls cleanly painted, the ceilings were bordered by an exquisite crown molding, and hanging from the center of it was a chandelier that must’ve cost a fortune. The room screamed wealth and fortune, certainly not a place you would expect to have steel and concrete cages holding abducted omegas prisoner. 

“Pretty crazy huh?” An unfamiliar voice spoke, drawing his attention. He looked over to the cage directly across from his, to see a very pale blonde girl. She gave him a smile, but he could see the terror and fear shining in her eyes.

“Yeah, it is.” He responded, trying his best to give her a reassuring smile in return. “My name is Sanji, may I ask the name lucky enough to belong to such a beautiful flower as yourself?”

“Conis,” she replied, a faint blush lighting up her incredibly pale skin. He wondered if she was that pale naturally, or if they were doing something to make her ill. He really hoped it was the former. 

“What a lovely name,” he said. He knew it wasn’t much, but he figured if he could distract her from their current predicament for even a second, then he could count it as a victory. 

“T-thank you,” She said, as another wave of blush lit up her face. It seems it was a success… 

“No need to give me thanks, I only speak the truth,” He said, thinking that maybe he was over doing it at this point, but he couldn’t help it! When he met a beautiful woman for the first time, it was his duty to make sure she knew how lovely she was! He could just imagine Zoro rolling his eyes and making some snide comment right now about what a hopeless idiot he was… 

His smile quickly faded when the green-haired alpha entered his mind, feeling a strange sort of ache in his chest. He couldn’t help but wonder what that idiot was doing right now. Was he looking for him? Did he even care that he was missing? Would he be pissed off when they saw each other again? If they saw each other again…no, no, no, what the hell was he thinking?! Of course they would see each other again. He still owed the moron a beating of a lifetime for using his alpha voice on him. He definitely couldn’t leave that debt unpaid.

“Are you alright?” Conis asked hesitantly, noticing the slightly distressed smell that had begun to cloud the room.

“Of course my darling, I just became acquainted with a beautiful woman, how could I not be alright?” He smiled, cursing the stupid Marimo for entering his mind in the first place. 

“You had this really sad look on your face for a minute, then you kind of spaced out. I think I might know what’s wrong…” She began, tears glistening in her eyes. “I have the same problem.”

“What do you mean my flower?” He asked, slightly confused, wishing he could reach out and take her hand, like he had with Vivi last night. But the ten cages in the room were placed in a sort of square like shape, where he was close enough to the two cages on either side of him (thankfully one of those being Vivi’s) but the distance between the cage across from his was far to big…this really was a huge room.

“I can smell traces of an alpha on you…I have a court-mate as well. We’re not bonded yet of course, but we’ve been talking about it. We were waiting until my 18th birthday in a couple of weeks. If only, if only we had done it sooner.” She cried, burring her faces in her hands, sobbing. Another, much more powerful distressed smell began consuming the room, and apparently it was strong enough to wake most of the sleeping omegas, including Vivi.

“What’s going on?” She whispered so only Sanji could hear her, staring at the crying girl with sympathy. The girl’s name was Conis, if she remembered correctly. She hadn’t had a chance to talk with her much, but the impression she got was that she was a shy, sweet, innocent girl…she hated to see her like this. She hated to see any omega like this.

“She’s thinking about her alpha.” Sanji responded, feeling terrible for upsetting the girl. Even though he wasn’t the one that brought it up directly…it was all the stupid Marimo and his scents fault! Yet another thing he would have to kick his ass for if he saw him again. No…not if, WHEN…

“Conis, it will be okay.” Vivi said soothingly, releasing what she hoped was a calming scent.

Sanji smelt it, and instantly felt himself relax as well. He hadn’t realized how tense he had been, but if felt as though all his worries and fears were leaving him, if only for a second. He had no idea omegas could do that. He would definitely have to ask Vivi to teach him that trick later.

“What’s your alpha’s name?” She asked, once the small blonde girl had stopped sobbing.

“Wiper,” Conis replied, drying the last of her tears with the sleeve of her grey jumpsuit. It was only then that Sanji noticed all the omegas, himself included, were wearing the same thing…and that suit he had been wearing was fairly expensive too…

“I promise you will see Wiper again, and that the two of you will bond and live a long happy life together.” Vivi said, doing what Sanji had been afraid to do earlier, which was give false hope. But seeing the way Conis’s face lit up, and how the distressed scent disappeared, he couldn’t help but think that maybe it was the right thing to do after all. The stronger everybody’s spirits stayed, the better chance they had at making it through this. 

“Thank you Vivi,” she smiled, a feeling of hope entering her for the first time since she was taken a week ago. She turned back to Sanji, giving him a smile as well, “and I’m sure you will see you alpha again too! I’m sure he misses you like crazy.”

Sanji froze, feeling his face begin burning in humiliation. Sure he had the Marimo’s scent on him, so it was natural for her to assume he might have an alpha waiting for him. But did she have to say it like that! And why would she automatically assume it was a ‘he’!? There were female alphas out there as well! He could’ve just as easily been claimed by one of them! 

And yeah right the Marimo was missing him like crazy…there was no way. He was probably only looking for him because he felt guilty or something. That had to be it…

“I hope so,” Sanji found himself saying, despite the urge he had to correct her and say that he didn’t have an alpha, at least not really, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. She seemed to have brightened up, and he didn’t want to be the reason her mood was brought down again. Plus the stupid Marimo was technically his stupid alpha, at least until his scent faded, and he would rather the other omegas think he was gay and in a committed relationship with an alpha, then to find out he couldn’t handle his first heat and had begged the first alpha he had seen to claim him…the former was far less embarrassing. 

“What’s he like?” Conis asked, her eyes almost sparkling with curiosity. 

“Oh I’m sure you don’t really want me to bore you with the details…” He began, but was cut off.

“Oh, but you wouldn’t bore me! I’m genuinely interested. I’ve never met a male omega before…or a homosexual,” she said, blushing slightly at the word, “I would love to hear about your alpha.”

“Me too,” came from one of the other cages.

“Me too.”

“Me too.”

“Me too.”

“Yes, me too.”

Apparently all the other omegas had been listening…that wasn’t embarrassing at all…

“I’m interested as well,” Vivi said, a mischievous glint in her eye. She already knew the whole story, so she was clearly just toying with him. He narrowed his eyes, shooting her a betrayed look, before sighing, resigning himself to his fate. Maybe if it was just Conis that asked he could distract her and get her to drop it, but there was no way he could disappoint so many lovely ladies at once.

“His name is Zoro…we met at the beginning of high school, about two and a half years ago I guess. Umm…I’m not really sure what you want me to say.”

“Is he strong?”

“What does he look like?”

“Is he handsome?”

“Was it love at first sight?”

They sure weren’t going to make this easy on him, were they?

“He’s tall, tanned, has stupid green-hair, he trains all the time so he’s pretty bulking…I definitely wouldn’t say he was handsome, but I suppose he’s not terrible looking either. And it was absolutely NOT love at first sight.”

“When did you fall in love with him then?”

Oh dear lord, he felt sick even thinking about answering that. Wait, no, it wasn’t that, it must be the lingering effects of his food poisoning, because he was genuinely starting to feel sick again…and the fact that he hadn’t eaten since yesterday in the afternoon didn’t help the nausea either. He hoped Vivi was right and that they did bring something to feed them soon, and that it was more edible than Patty’s cooking.

“I, um, I don’t remember. It just sort of happened without me even realizing.” He took a deep breath before he answered, hoping that that was enough to satisfy them. With how he was feeling he wasn’t sure he could keep up a conversation much longer. All he wanted to do was lie back down and try to will this awful feeling away.

“That’s so romantic. I wish I had an alpha,” one of the girls in a cage he couldn’t quite see sighed. “You’re so lucky.”

“I don’t know about that,” he mumbled, Vivi appearing to be the only one that heard him. She gave him an apologetic look. She knew how much everything that had happened bothered him, and it was clear she felt guilty for getting caught up and going along with the other girls as a joke.

He was about to reassure her that he wasn’t mad about it, when his stomach gave an awful churn. He bent forward, clutching his abdomen, praying that he could stop what was about to happen, but it was no use. The universe and his body were against him, as he threw up all over the floor of his cage, all the girls watching on in shock.

“Oh my God, Sanji, are you okay?” Vivi shouted, panicking slightly. Other than the headache and temporary blindness, nobody else had experienced any sort of negative effects from the gas. What if Sanji was allergic to it or something!!?! What if he was dying!?!!

Sanji could hear Vivi’s cries, but couldn’t bring himself to respond, he was still gagging even though nothing else was coming up. He wasn’t sure what was going on…he had experienced food poisoning before, and he was beginning to feel like maybe that wasn’t what this was. This felt different…

“I-I’m sorry,” he panted out, feeling short of breath from all the gagging. His skin was hot and sweaty, and he could swear his vision was starting to blur. What was going on?

“What the hell is with all this noise first thing in the morning?!” A harsh male voice spoke, as the door to the room slammed open, causing all the omegas to jump in surprise.

“Please, something is wrong with my friend! He needs a doctor!” Vivi begged, receiving a sneer in response. 

“Right, like no one has ever tried that one before…”

“No, really, just look at him!”

The man looked over to the only male omega, his face contorting in disgust at the sight. That bastard Caesar, he had promised that the gas he used to abduct the omegas wouldn’t damage the merchandise in any way, but this kid looked like he was about to keel over…he sighed, even though the idea of male omegas was unnatural to him, the boss had been so pleased when he heard they had gotten one, he would be pissed if anything happened to it…he would have to take him to the other freak and get him to take a look.

“Fine,” He finally relented after weighing the pros and cons of just leaving him to stew in his own filth for a while for the fun of it, but he couldn’t risk the freak choking on his own vomit and dying or something. So he pulled out his keys and unlocked his cage. “Get up!” He barked, when the omega didn’t move.

Sanji could hear everything going on around him, but it was like all the energy had drained out of him, and he wasn’t sure he could move even if he wanted to. And even though this could be a good opportunity to get out of here, or at least find out more about where they are being kept, he didn’t want to leave Vivi, Conis, and the other omegas behind. What if something happened to them and he wasn’t there to do something?

“I’m fine, leave me alone,” he rasped, feeling his vision begin to blur even more. It was taking all of his strength to keep himself up right and not collapse into his own vomit. 

“I wasn’t asking, now get the hell up,” he barked, reaching into the cage and grabbing the blonde by the arm. Sanji tried to pull away, but he could barely move. The alpha man yanked him roughly out of the cage, forcing him to his feet. The move was so sudden and so aggressive; he couldn’t stop the whimper that left his lips.

“Don’t hurt him!” Vivi cried.

“Shut up bitch!” The man growled, squeezing Sanji’s arm painfully tight as if to make a point. His grip was powerful, and Sanji was sure he would be sporting a large bruise after this, but right now that was the least of his concerns.

“Don’t,” he tried to resist, but the world was now spinning, and he lost his footing, he would’ve fallen to the ground if it wasn’t for the hold the alpha had on him.

“Just be a good little omega and come with me,” the man hissed, losing his patience. He hated being stuck on omega watch…in fact he hated this whole latest venture the boss had undertaken. He didn’t see the value in it, and thought they could be making so much more money doing something else with less risk that didn’t gain so much unwanted attention. The entire police force was out looking for these missing omegas, and as good as they were at covering their tracks, their luck could only last so long. For him, omegas weren’t worth the trouble. They were good for one thing and one thing only…but he supposed that was the point of this whole business venture in the first place.

Sanji couldn’t even speak anymore, and was quickly losing consciousness. Why was this happening to him? Out of all the times for him to get sick like this…he couldn’t leave, he had to help them, he had to, he…but his thoughts began to fade, and the last thing he saw was a crying, terrified Vivi. 

…

“Where is that detective you were talking about? Shouldn’t she be here by now?” Zoro asked, not able to keep the impatience out of his voice.

It had been over 12 hours since Sanji was taken, and they had gotten absolutely nowhere in their search. After failing to come up with a plan the night before, everybody had just went out to physically look, but after walking around town aimlessly for 8 hours, they decided to regroup back at Robin and Franky’s house. The majority of the Whitebeard pack was still out searching and trying to get information, only Ace returning to the house with the others. He didn’t want to leave Luffy’s side until this thing was solved…plus Whitebeard had said he was going to send his contact at the police station over, and he wanted a representative from his pack to be there to meet her.

“She will be here any minute.” Ace answered for the third time in just as many minutes, trying to be as patient as possible. Not having a mate himself, he couldn’t quite understand what losing one felt like, but having seen one of his of his pack mates lose their mate to cancer, and seeing how he fell apart afterwards, he felt like he could maybe understand. A mate became a part of you, the bond created was deeper than anything else in the world, and even if they were only claimed mates and not bonded ones, he imagined most of the feelings experienced were the same.

“She better,” he muttered, continuing his pacing back and forth, ignoring all the conversations that were going on around him. He couldn’t concentrate on anything anyway, all he could think about was Sanji, and what was happening to him right now. Was he okay? Had they hurt him? And what the hell were their plans for him? Obviously they hadn’t taken nearly 50 omegas just for the fun of it. They had some plan for them, and he just had to hope that they could get to them before they put that plan into action…if they hadn’t already.

“Sit your ass down boy, before you wear a hole in the floor.” Zeff barked, getting annoyed with the younger alpha. He could understand his worry, no body was more worried about the eggplant than he was, but the green-haired kid had been so worked up that he had contributed nothing to the search or planning efforts so far…and the power of a mate is what they needed most right now. Even though it was a common thought that only bonded mates could sense each other’s thoughts and feelings, he didn’t believe that. Long before he had bonded with his mate, back when they were still courting, he swore he could always feel her with him, no matter how far apart they were. He knew when she was feeling down, or angry, or happy, somehow he always knew…and he truly believed that any mates had the potential to feel the same thing, as long as they were close enough and cared for each other. And as much as the eggplant denied it, the fact of the matter was that he talked about the green-haired boy every single day, and now seeing the green-haired boy worry the way he was…it was clear the caring part was their for both of them. Now if the dumbass would just calm down, clear his mind, and try focusing on that bond, then maybe they could finally get somewhere. 

“Leave me alone,” Zoro muttered, which was apparently the wrong answer. Zeff got up, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, and threw him down on the couch. Zoro knew he was probably stronger than the older alpha, but wouldn’t risk fighting back against him. If he ended up hurting Sanji’s father, and the blonde hated him for it…he wouldn’t want to risk that. 

“Sanji needs us,” Zeff started, only to be interrupted.

“You don’t think I know that?” Zoro growled. Just because he decided to hold back physically against the geezer, didn’t mean he was going to let himself by bullied verbally as well. He knew Sanji needed their help, nobody knew that better than he did! 

“You don’t know how badly. If you did, you would pull your head out of your ass long enough to actually do something about it! And you won’t be able to do that until you calm down.”

“What do you mean I don’t know how badly? What are you trying to say old man?” Zoro demanded, getting back to his feet, and getting up in the older alpha’s face. He was staring him down, waiting for him to speak, when a knock came at the front door, snapping them both out of it.

“I’ll get it,” Ace said, before leaving the room. 

Zoro turned back toward Zeff still wanting an answer, only to receive a shake of the head. “Later. First let’s hear what this detective woman has to say.”

“I won’t drop this.” Zoro said.

“I don’t expect you to. Despite how I think you will react, you deserve to know.”

That only fueled Zoro’s curiosity. What the hell was the old man talking about?! What did he know about Sanji? And why was it so important?

“Everybody, this is detective Tashigi,” Ace said as he reentered the room, followed by the woman. Zoro smelt her before he could see her, and was surprised that it was the smell of an alpha. A female alpha huh…that would be like the cook’s dream come true. That thought caused a strange flare in his chest, all of a sudden wanting to keep this woman as far away from the cook as he could. But he shook that thought from his head. She was a professional, and she was here to help them. Plus if she already achieved the rank of detective, she was probably a little older…no way she would be interested in a high school kid anyway. But when she came into view, that turned out not to be true…she was far from old, she barely looked older than him, but that wasn’t what was most shocking about her.

He felt his heart begin to race, and his hands begin to shake. There was no way…it wasn’t possible. She looked just like…but no, it couldn’t be her! He had been the one to find her body. They had buried her. He had kissed her cold, lifeless forehead goodbye. So then why did it look like she was standing before him…

“Kuina?” The name fell from his lips before he could stop it. He knew it was impossible. Not only because he watched his sister’s body be lowered into the ground, but also his sister was an omega, and this woman clearly wasn’t. There were ways for people to change their primary gender, but there were no surgeries out there to change one’s secondary gender…if there was his sister would’ve likely done that right after she had presented. 

“I’m sorry, you must be mistaking me for someone else…” Tashigi said carefully, seeing the startled look on the other alpha’s face. It looked like he had just seen something that terrified him…like he had just seen a ghost.

“Zoro, are you okay? Do you need to leave?” Luffy asked in concern, being the only one in the group that had actually met his sister, the only one that knew what she looked like. He looked slightly surprised himself, so it wasn’t just him, she really did look just like her. But how was that possible? How could two people look so much like each other unless they were related…he made a mental note to ask his father about this when he got home. Though it seemed impossible for him to have some long lost sister out there, it also seemed impossible for this woman to look identical to his sister for absolutely no reason. 

“No, I’m fine.” Zoro finally answered, forcing himself to look away from the alpha woman. He wouldn’t be able to concentrate as long as he was looking at her, but he still didn’t want to risk missing anything she had to say that might help them find Sanji. 

“What’s going on?” Nami asked confused, looking back and forth from Zoro, to Luffy, to the alpha woman. Was she missing something?

“It’s nothing,” Zoro assured her, but knew she was likely to demand answers from him later. She wasn’t the kind of person to just let things go. Besides, this was something he should probably share with everyone eventually anyway. They were going to be a pack after all, and his sister had been a huge part of his life. 

“What can you tell us detective Tashigi?” Zeff asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room, eager to hear what she had to say. Everyone else turned their attention toward her as well.

“Well I got good news and bad news…” She started, everybody waiting for her to continue with bated breaths. “The good news is that through some undercover work we think we might have discovered who is behind the disappearances.”

“That’s great! Let’s go there now and get Sanji and Vivi back!” Luffy shouted, already heading toward the door, when Nami grabbed him and pulled him back.

“She said she had good news AND bad news.” Nami reminded him, having a bad feeling about what she was going to say next. 

“How could there be bad news? If we know where they are, let’s just go get them! I don’t see the problem.” 

“The problem is, that the ones behind it are the _Donquixote pack_ a pack that practically runs the criminal underworld…they are so well connected and protected, that they are virtually untouchable. If that wasn’t bad enough, they are connected to the Kaido’s Beast pack…one of the four great packs. Which means it is a little more complicated than breaking down the door and getting them back.”

A somber silence fell over the room, everyone realizing that this was so much worse than they could’ve ever imagined. What were they suppose to do now? They couldn’t leave their friends behind for God knows what to happen to them, but Tashigi was right, with this new information they couldn’t just barge in there and get them back with force, at least not alone… 

“We are going over every option possible in order to get them back, but until we have a solid case against the entire pack, it is looking more and more like we won’t be able to do anything.”

“What?! You got to be fucking kidding me! You’re saying that the police know where all those missing omegas are and they can’t do anything about it?!” Zoro roared, feeling his blood begin to boil. How can that be possible? How can the people that are supposed to protect them and keep them safe turn a blind eye to this?

“You didn’t let me finish.” She said patiently. She was told by Whitebeard before she came over that there was an alpha there whose omega was taken…she assumed that he was the one. She cleared her throat before she continued. “As I was saying. Without a warrant we can’t even step foot on their property legally, and without any evidence, there isn’t a judge alive that would risk giving us a warrant, all of them terrified of the possible consequences.”

“So we beat up a judge until we can get a warrant!” Luffy suggested, as if it was that simple. 

“I’ll remind you, I am a police officer…” 

“And?”

“Never mind,” Tashigi sighed, shaking her head. “What I was going to say, is that since we can’t do this legally I have been given special permission by the commissioner himself, on the down low of course, to use other…less legal means.”

“Like beating up a judge?” Luffy suggested again.

“We are not beating up a judge!” She snapped, feeling a headache coming on. Ace had warned her that his brother was ‘enthusiastic’ but this was ridiculous…

“What I think the detective is saying, is that she was given permission to take ulterior means in gathering the evidence needed, but she still has to be subtle and she can’t blatantly commit any crimes, such as beating up a judge.” Robin suggested, getting a grateful nod from the alpha woman.

“That is exactly what I’m saying.” 

“Oh, I see…” Luffy hummed, seeming to ponder the information for a moment. “What if we just _threatened_ to beat one up until we got a warrant?”

“He doesn’t get it at all, does he?” Tashigi deadpanned, receiving nods from everyone in the room, including Luffy himself…and he was their _head_ alpha?

“That’s all well in good, but do you have any plans actually get this evidence you need?” Zeff asked, wanting these idiots to stay on topic. Literally every moment they wasted could be vital. 

“Yes actually, but we’re going to need some help…I already informed Whitebeard of my plan on the way over here, but I’m not sure it’s going to be enough.” She said, turning back toward Luffy. “Ace mentioned that you have some connections with Red-haired Shanks and his pack. Is that true?”

Luffy couldn’t help but smirk; liking more and more the direction this was going. “It is.”

“How soon can you get him on the phone?” She asked, the straw hat wearing boy already dialing the number before she could finish her question. 

Zoro took a few steps back from the group, needing a moment to process everything that just happened. As horrifying as it had been to learn just who had taken Sanji and Vivi, he also felt his first glimmer of hope that they would actually be able to get them back. Before they were flying blind, but now they had a name, and apparently some sort of plan. Sure whatever it was was probably incredibly dangerous and even life threatening, but he didn’t doubt that everybody in this room was willing to take that risk.

“Follow me kid,” Zeff said, snapping Zoro out of his thoughts. Before he could ask the older man why, he was already limping out of the room. He was confused for a brief moment when he remembered the old alpha’s promise. There was something he wanted to tell him, something important about Sanji. 

He followed the other alpha out of the living room, and into the rather large spacious kitchen. The size of this house never ceased to amaze him. This room could probably fit a table to seat 20 people, easily. But he supposed that made sense, it used to be a pack house after all. 

It use to belong to Robin’s mother’s pack many years ago. Apparently everyone in the pack had been some sort of archeologist or something, and they had all went together on an expedition. But their plane went down before they could reach their destination. Robin luckily wasn’t with them, but she had lost everything and everyone that she had ever cared about. Zoro wasn’t sure he would be able to live in a place that housed so many painful memories (it nearly killed him every time he had to walk by his sister’s empty room) but apparently it brought the beta woman comfort. It was so precious to her in fact; that she wouldn’t ever consider leaving it, and she offered it to everyone to move into once the pack was finally formed, an offer that everyone had gladly agreed to. Packs should live together after all, so it only made sense. 

“So what is it?” Zoro finally asked, not able to read anything from the other alpha. He was growing more and more anxious with each passing second. 

“It’s just a theory right now, so I can’t say for certain whether or not it is true or not…I could easily be mistaken.”

“Stop tip toeing around it and just tell me!” Zoro snapped, all of sudden feeling a strange flash of fear. It only lasted for a second before it was gone, but it was so powerful, so intense. But that didn’t make sense…he was annoyed and frustrated, not scared. Where had that feeling come from? It was weird…it almost felt like he was in somebody else’s body for a moment, feeling what they were feeling. 

His eyes widened when he realized what it must’ve been. He would’ve thought it was impossible, but he could feel in his heart that it was true. For the briefest moment he was connected with Sanji…and Sanji had been terrified. His heart rate began picking up, and he could feel his instinct kicking back in. He needed to find him, he needed to find him now!

“He’s scared.” Zoro said, earning a confused look from the other alpha.

“What?” Zeff asked, not sure he heard him right.

“I said he’s scared! He was absolutely terrified about something! I know it’s impossible but I swear I felt it.”

“It doesn’t sound impossible at all…but that does make what I’m about to say that much harder.”

“Out with it already old man!” Zoro snapped, finally reaching his breaking point.

“This is going to be a shock…and you have to remember I’m not 100% sure about it or anything. But last week I started to notice the slightest change in Sanji’s scent. It was very subtle, and unless you were really looking for it I’m sure it would go unnoticed.”

“What the hell are you trying to say? I haven’t noticed a change in his scent.” Zoro asked, confused. He felt like he knew Sanji’s scent better than anyone…how could somebody else notice something about it that he hadn’t?

“It’s probably because you’ve never experienced something like this before. But I remember noticing the same slight change in my mates scent many years ago, it was a few days afterward that we learned why her scent had changed…”

“Are you really going to keep me waiting?” Zoro said threw clenched teeth. _He’s Sanji’s father, he’s Sanji’s father...if you want the cook to forgive you one day, you probably shouldn’t kill his father…_

“It’s just a hard thought to process, considering the circumstances…and considering how young you two idiots are.” Zeff sighed, “Try not to overreact when I tell you this.”

“Just tell me dammit!”

“I have a strong suspicion that Sanji might be pregnant.”

“Huh?” He grunted, the words not registering in his head. There was no way the old man just said what he thought he said. There was no possible way…

“I said, I think Sanji might be pregnant.” He repeated, the words finally seeming to click in the younger alpha’s head.

Pregnant…as in pregnant with a baby, pregnant? As in pregnant with _his_ baby, pregnant?

And just like that, Zoro’s brain ceased to function properly as he tried to process that information. If you asked him later on what had happened right after that, he wouldn’t be able to tell you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it. No actual confirmation yet, but we finally got to hear Zeff's theory…hopefully Zoro doesn't lose his mind too badly…
> 
> I would love to hear any thoughts or theories! Like who is this 'other freak' Sanji is being taken to? I don't think I was very subtle about that one either, haha. 
> 
> But thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and I would love to hear your thoughts. And I will hopefully be back soon with more XD


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response for last chapter was once again amazing, so here is another early post! Thank you everybody for taking the time to read this, especially to those of you who choose to leave your thoughts, I appreciate it a lot XD
> 
> That being said, I hope you enjoy! :D

The sound of a steady beeping filled the air, it was soothing and rhythmic, and almost enough to lull him back into sleep. When the memories of what happened before he lost consciousness came back to him, that same calm rhythmic beeping sped up and became frantic. Where was he? And were Vivi and all the other omegas all right?

“You need to calm down,” a male voice spoke, causing his panic to increase. His eyes flew open and he frantically looked around the room. It looked like a hospital room…had they really taken him to a hospital? That didn’t make sense…why would they risk him escaping by doing that? He tried to get up, but found he couldn’t get further than sitting. Both of his arms were handcuffed to the side of the bed. So they weren’t risking him escaping…and he had a feeling he wasn’t actually in a hospital either.

“How are you feeling?” The same voice spoke again, causing Sanji to jump. He had almost forgotten he wasn’t alone, and began to panic again for a small moment, when he finally took in the scent that was in the air. Wait…that couldn’t be right…there were only two scents in the air, both belonging to omegas, but if there were only him and this other guy here, than that meant…

“I can’t read your mind you know. I need to know how you are feeling if I’m going to help.” The man, who had been previously standing behind him out of view, finally walked up to his bedside where he could be seen. He looked fairly young, especially if he was supposed to be a doctor, he was maybe only a few years older than himself. He had dark hair, which matched his dark, gloomy aura perfectly. He also had some visible tattoos. All in all he gave an overall intimidating first impression. Or at least he would if it wasn’t for one small detail…this doctor, this MAN, was visibly pregnant. It was such a shock to see, he almost couldn’t process the sight.

He of course knew male omegas could get pregnant, that was one of the facts he had the hardest time wrapping his head around when he first presented. To know that he himself could carry a child, the very thought caused a chill to run down his spine. But as weird as the thought was, it was even stranger to see it for the first time in person. He almost couldn’t believe it. Like this man had to be wearing some sort of fake padding or something because there was just no way it could be real…

“Could you stop staring?” The man asked after a few moments, putting his hand protectively on his abdomen, narrowing his eyes at the other omega. He got enough ‘looks’ from everyone else; he certainly didn’t need them from a fellow male omega as well.

“I’m sorry…” Sanji muttered, shifting his eyes away. He was embarrassed to be caught staring like that, but what did the man expect! It wasn’t everyday one saw a pregnant man! Could he really blame him for staring? 

“It’s fine, I get it.” The man sighed, no signs of annoyance in his voice. In fact there were no signs of any emotion in his voice at all… “You never answered my question. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, right.” Sanji said, only now remembering why he was taken here in the first place. He had been sick, and had felt as though his energy had been drained from him. He considered lying to this man, telling him he felt fine so he could get back to the other omegas as soon as possible, but despite his first instincts, he felt for some reason that maybe he could trust this man. That despite his gloomy persona, this man might actually want to help him, and right now he was actually concerned about what was wrong with him. He had accepted the fact that this probably wasn’t food poisoning, and if he wanted to be of help to the other omegas, he needed to be at full strength. It only made sense to be honest so he could find out what was wrong with him, and have it fixed as soon as possible. “I feel better than I did earlier, but I still feel a little nauseous and dizzy.”

“When was your last heat?” The doctor asked bluntly, causing him to flush with embarrassment. Why the hell did he want to know that?! The man looked at him expectantly, rolling his eyes when he saw his hesitation. “It could be important. I need to know so I possibly narrow things down. Every omega has heats so it’s not necessary to be embarrassed.” 

“I guess about 6 weeks ago,” he muttered, still embarrassed despite the doctor’s reassurance. He wondered if he should mention the fact that it had been his first heat, if that could be important, but decided to keep his mouth shut, wanting to move on from this subject as soon as possible.

“I see,” the man said, making a note of what he said on his chart. “Well I have a theory, but I will have to wait for the results to be sure. I took a few samples while you were passed out and already started the analysis. It shouldn’t be too long, so just be patient.”

“Alright…I didn’t plan on going anywhere,” he attempted to joke, pulling at his handcuffed arms, but didn’t get any reaction…the man just ignored him, sat down at his desk, and turned his attention to his computer. Tough crowd…

He tried to kill time by looking around the room, seeing if he could learn anything from it, but found nothing out of the ordinary. It literally just looked like an average hospital room…but they couldn’t be at an actual hospital…

“Where are we?” He asked, earning him the attention from the other omega once more.

“In the infirmary.” He answered, with an almost bored tone to his voice.

“But, we’re not at the hospital or anything, right?” He continued. 

“No, of course not. Considering how you got here, do you really think they would take you to an actual hospital?” 

“I suppose not.” Sanji sighed; realizing this guy probably wasn’t going to give him anything, when he continued. 

“You are still in the Donquixote pack house.” He drawled, turning back toward his computer, as if he hadn’t just dropped a huge bomb.

“Oh I see…WAIT WHAT?!” Sanji practically screeched, trying helplessly to get up once again. The Donquixote pack house?! Was he kidding?! He knew that this wasn’t a small time pack they were dealing with, but the Donquixote pack? Things just went from bad to worse, to hopeless.

“Please don’t shout. The guard outside might come in if you do, and I would prefer not to deal with him more than I have to.” The older omega sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

“Oh I do apologize,” He said with as much sarcasm as he could muster, “I wouldn’t want to inconvenience a member of the pack that is holding me prisoner or anything.”

“I don’t appreciate the sarcasm…plus I’m not a member of this pack,” his tone was harsher then Sanji was expecting. That was the first bit of emotion he had shown since he got here. He seemed angry, almost bitter at the implication that he was part of the pack. But if he wasn’t, then what was he doing here? Unless…was he being held captive like the rest of them?

“I’m sorry…” He began again, carefully. If this man were a captive like they were, then maybe he would be able to help somehow? “So, if you’re not a member of this pack, then why are you here?”

“That’s not really any of your business, now is it?” He hissed, turning back to his computer once again, turning his chair this time so he had his back toward him. Apparently this was a touchy subject…

“No, technically it’s not, but seeing as I’m being held prisoner here, you can’t blame me for being curious.” 

“It’s…it’s complicated.” He muttered, after a few minutes of silence had passed between them. And for the second time, Sanji detected hints of emotion in his voice, but this time instead of anger, there were hints of sadness…there was definitely more to this man then he was letting on. He had a story, a reason why he was here, and even though he was sitting freely in a computer chair, and he was the one handcuffed to a bed, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He wasn’t sure why, but there was just something about him that stirred up his instincts, his need to help and protect a fellow omega…

“I don’t suppose you want to talk about it?” Sanji asked, but received a look that read ‘are you stupid’. “Right, I guess not.”

“Look, I have nothing against you, ya? But I can’t afford to get too chummy with you lot…its just better that way.”

“But why? What are they planning to do with us? Do you know? Can you at least tell me that?” Sanji pleaded, feeling like he need something, some small sliver of hope to take back to the other omegas.

“I don’t. The day they started bringing all you omegas in, I made a point not to ask questions.”

“But why? Why wouldn’t you want to know? Don’t you feel any sort of guilt at all?” He couldn’t imagine being in this man’s position, and completely turning a blind eye to what was happening around him. If it were him, he would want to do something! He would want to help! How could he choose to be ignorant?

“I…I don’t…” The man stumbled over his words. It seemed as though he had struck a nerve. 

A distressed smell began spreading around the room, and he could see the man had grabbed his abdomen, his entire body shaking. _Shit…_ He had wanted to get some information, he hadn’t meant to push him this far. Crap! What was he supposed to do?! He had never dealt with an upset pregnant person before. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” He started, but was cute off.

“Just stop.” The man snapped, rubbing furiously as his eyes. He stayed silent for a few moments while he composed himself. Eventually he got up, went to a cabinet and pulled something out. Sanji froze, bracing himself for some sort of punishment for pushing the other omega too far, only to have a small tablet slipped into his mouth.

On reflex, he tried to spit it back out, but the other man placed a hand over his mouth, forcing him to swallow it. 

“That will help you with your nausea for the time being. And until I get the results of your tests back, that is all I can do for you for now.” The man said, going to the door and giving it a quick knock, before turning back toward Sanji. “I’m sorry this is happening to you. But I can’t help you…I can’t risk it.” He said, his hand travelling to his abdomen as he spoke, as if to emphasize his point. And in that moment, Sanji almost thought he could understand. He would like to think he would do something if the roles were reversed, but he had never been pregnant before, and probably never would be…but he knew that the relationship between parent and child (his father not included) was strong. His mother and Zeff, came to mind, and he knew they would do anything to protect him. Which was what a parent should do for their child.

“You knocked.” The door opened, and the same creepy alpha that had pulled him from his cage stepped into the room.

“His tests are done for now, so you can take him back, Diamante. But there is a chance I will need to see him again a little later.” The omega man said, walking away from the door and heading back to his desk. He looked back up as the alpha man was unlocking Sanji’s handcuffs, giving him an almost apologetic look before he turned away. 

Sanji didn’t struggle, nor did he say a word as he was dragged back to the room he was being held in. Though he did observe his surroundings as they went, and was absolutely shocked at the sheer size of this place. He had thought his family’s estate was ridiculous and over the top, but this was far bigger than even that. He couldn’t even get a clear picture of a way out…all he learned was that the infirmary was on the first floor, and the rooms holding the omegas were on the second.

He was thrown back into his cage without a word, a fact he was grateful for, not in the mood to hear this alpha speak. Another fact he was grateful for was that someone had cleaned the vomit out of his cage. They even left an extra empty bowl next to his water bowl, probably for if he got sick again…wasn’t that sweet of them?

“Sanji? Oh my God! Sanji? Are you okay? What happened?! I was…I was so worried!” Vivi cried, reaching her arm through her cage, Sanji gladly accepted her hand, giving it a tight, reassuring squeeze.

“I’m okay Vivi-chan, really, I am.” He tried his best to keep his tone positive and upbeat. The last thing he wanted her to do was worry about him, when they had so much else to worry about. Especially considering what he had just learned.

The Donquixote family…one of the most dangerous, notorious crime packs in the city, maybe even in the country, and they were the ones holding them prisoner. How was he suppose to tell Vivi that? Well knowing Vivi, even if it scared her, she could probably handle hearing the news…but what about Conis? What about all the other innocent omegas who were already tying to hold on to hope with all they had? How was he suppose to look them in the eyes and tell them what was really going on? Not that he knew what was _really_ going on…but if it was the Donquixote family, than it was nothing good. 

And that pregnant man, he couldn’t stop thinking about him either, and how he got wrapped up in all of this. It was clear he hadn’t wanted this for himself…it was clear he was scared, and that all he wanted to do was protect the child growing within him. But how did that happen? How had he ended up working for them? He wasn’t an abducted omega like the rest of them; he had far too much freedom for that…there was something else going on.

“Are you sure?” Vivi asked, the fear in her voice visible. He felt horribly that he was the one that made her feel that way. He needed to start realizing he wasn’t the only one that was worrying about the safety of the others. 

“I’m sure. Sorry if I made you worry. It was just a little stomach bug…the doctor said he might have to call me back in later for a follow up, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

“Really? It wasn’t a reaction to the gas or anything?”

“No, I promise it was nothing like that. I feel better already!” And it wasn’t a lie. Ever since the doctor had, not so gently, shoved the pill down his throat, he had been feeling slightly better. 

“I’m so glad.” Vivi sighed, giving Sanji’s hand another tight squeeze. “I can’t lose you. I don’t know what I would do.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I promise, I would never leave you.” Sanji promised, returning the squeeze of her hand. He felt tears stinging the back of his eyes, but forced them back down. He couldn’t break, not right now, not when Vivi and the others were watching. He couldn’t let them know, if he did, it would break their spirits completely, like it was beginning to break his. 

He needed to figure something out. And even though he seemed reluctant to talk earlier, maybe when he saw the pregnant omega again he would be able to get more information out of him. That was the only plan he could come up with for now, and even though it wasn’t much, he held onto the small ray of hope that it provided.

…

“Zoro? What’s going on?” Robin tried to ask, when she saw the alpha reenter the room, with a vacant look on his face. But he didn’t seem to hear her, and provided no response. Instead he took off running like his life depended on it, practically ripping the front door of its hinges in his desperation to get out. He was already gone before anyone could process what was happening.

“Stop that moron!” Zeff shouted, limping back into the living room as fast as he could. “Somebody needs to stop him before he does anything stupid!”

“I’m assuming you told him your theory regarding Sanji?” Robin asked, trying to keep her voice even. But if her suspicions were correct, and Zoro now knew, then his life could be in danger. 

“I knew it might be a risk, but I figured the kid deserved the truth.” Zeff sighed, starting to second-guess his decision. He knew he would likely react badly, but he thought he would be able to calm the kid down enough, and have him start thinking a little more clearly. He had thought that if he knew about this possible new connection they shared, that he might be able to grab on to the bond more easily, and find out more about how Sanji was doing.

“What happened?” Luffy asked, looking between Robin and Zeff, having absolutely no idea what was going on. And did he just see Zoro run out the front door? Where was he going? Shanks was on his way to discuss the details of their plan, he assumed the other alpha would want to be here for that.

“You should tell them.” Robin said after a moment’s consideration. She knew it might be a risk, potentially working everybody else up like Zoro, but couldn’t think of another solution. If they wanted to stop the green-haired alpha before he did anything drastic, they needed to know exactly what had set him off in the first place. She hoped Sanji would forgive them for revealing something so personal to the pack without his permission…

“You think that’s wise?” Zeff asked. He was curious to know how the beta woman figured it out in the first place. The change in his scent had been so subtle, that an alpha or omega would have a hard time detecting it, let alone a beta. But questions like that could wait until later. 

“I think it’s the only way.” 

“Seriously, what’s going on?” Nami asked, getting more and more worried with each passing second. Something was going on, and if the look on Robin’s face was anything to go on, it was something huge.

“I told the green-haired kid about a suspicion of mine,” Zeff sighed, “there is really no easy way to say this, considering the circumstances, but I think Sanji might be pregnant. And needless to say, Zoro didn’t take the news well.”

A shocked silence fell over the room, everybody attempting to process the information, and what it meant, all of them coming to the realization at different rates. Tears were already leaking from Nami and Kaya’s eyes, Usopp and Brook had to sit down before they passed out, Luffy began shaking, his fingernails digging into his palm so hard that they began bleeding. They had all known how serious the situation was before, but this changed things. There was now an extra life at risk.

“This information likely sent Zoro into a rage, his animal instincts completely taking over. And now that we know who is behind the kidnappings and where Sanji is being kept, it is safe to say that Zoro is on his way there. If he goes in there alone and in a frenzy, I’m afraid he’s not going to make it out alive.” Robin said, breaking the silence in the room, once everybody had enough time to process the information.

Her words were enough to snap everybody out of their stupor, realizing she was right. Zoro’s life was probably in more danger right now then either Sanji’s or Vivi’s. They needed to stop him, and they needed to stop him now. Luffy, Franky, and Ace were already out the door as soon as this realization hit them, Brook and Usopp not far behind. Ace had his phone out, sending a message to the rest of his pack as he ran. Hoping that some of them were in the area of the Donquixote pack house, and that they would be able to slow down the raging alpha enough for them to catch up. 

He also messaged Whitebeard and Marco directly, the two strongest alphas in their pack. Because trying to stop an alpha that was in a state of rage trying to find their pregnant omega…they were going to need all the help they could get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *runs and hides* Yes, it was another cliffhanger, my deepest apologies! But I do already have about half of the next chapter written, so it shouldn't be that long of a wait. Unfortunately it might not be until Friday or Saturday. Got quite a bit ahead this week between school, work, and preparing some things for Thanksgiving. BUT, I do promise to post by the weekend.
> 
> Any who, what did you all think? What did you think of Law…I mean the gloomy, young, tattooed doctor…who are we kidding, it's Law! Were you expecting him to already be pregnant? Who's the baby daddy? And poor Sanji, everyone in the pack officially knows there is a chance he is pregnant, except for Sanji himself. 
> 
> I would love to hear any thoughts, theories, or suggestions. But for now, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait until the weekend to post this, but it was finished and since you guys were amazing with your response of the last chapter, I figured why not! Plus I didn't want to give myself time to second guess myself…I'm a little unsure about this chapter. I just hope it is is alright and that you guys enjoy it!

About four hours passed by when another alpha came to take him back to the infirmary. He could sense Vivi’s distress when this occurred, despite his reassurance that everything was going to be okay. He wished he could do that calming scent thing she had done earlier to try and put her at ease, but had to settle for one final squeeze of the hand and a smile. Hopefully after this trip to the infirmary whatever was wrong with him would be fixed, and he wouldn’t have to leave Vivi’s side again.

The alpha that led him this time was quite a bit gentler than the previous one, whose goal had been to squeeze his arms as hard as he could without breaking them. This one just guided him along quietly…that wasn’t to say he felt particularly safe or good with this alpha. He kept shooting him looks of disdain and disapproval. The man was looking down on him as if he were garbage…which Sanji thought was ridiculous considering the man in question was wearing a baby’s bonnet and had a pacifier around his neck. But hey, to each their own…he wasn’t concerned about having this man’s approval anyway.

The baby man also led him a lot slower than the previous alpha, who had practically dragged him along in his hast. Which gave Sanji a little more time to take in his surroundings. They had also fed them since then, so he was also feeling more alert and lucid. 

The second floor had a large staircase in the center of it, and then split off into two long hallways, each containing at least ten rooms. They were being kept in the far room of the right hallway, where it seemed all the other omegas that weren’t in their room were being kept as well. He hadn’t been able to pick up their scents before because of his weakened state, but now that he had something to eat and was a little better rested he could detect a few dozen omega scents coming from the four rooms next to theirs. He couldn’t wait to tell Vivi about this. She had been so worried that something had already happened to her school friends, Rebecca and Shirahoshi.

The large staircase took them down into a small sort of lobby area. In large houses like this, the stairs would normally lead into the entry way, where the front door would be located, much like the floor plan of the Vinsmoke mansion….this design seemed odd in comparison, but he supposed it was great if you were keeping multiple prisoners. Even if one escaped their cage, they would likely get lost and have no idea where to find an actual exit, and get caught before they could locate one. He wondered if they designed this house specifically with that purpose in mind, and if so, how many people had they kept prisoner here in the past?

The first floor was a lot more closed off than the second; there were many walls, many hallways and many doors. He tried to memorize the path they were taking the best he could, but would likely have to walk it a few more times before he could actually memorize it. Not that he planned to have to come here anymore, or that memorizing his way to the infirmary would be relevant when trying to escape, but hey, he figured the more he knew of the layout of this place, the better.

They finally reached a large white door labeled as the infirmary, where the alpha knocked before ushering him in. The mild floral scent of the omega doctor greeted them, melting away some of the tension he hadn’t realized he had. He never really noticed how tense and nervous his body actually got around unfamiliar alphas, until he was in the presence of another omega again, or someone else familiar. 

The baby man alpha handcuffed him to the bed just like the previous one had, before he mumbled something about waiting outside and left. Once his scent began to dissipate, Sanji could feel himself relax even further, though he didn’t completely let his guard down. Even though he felt there was more to the other male omega, and that he likely wasn’t a threat, he couldn’t allow himself to trust him completely, at least not yet. In the end he was still working for bad people, whether it was against his will or not didn’t matter. It was clear the male omega would do anything to protect his child, he imagined that included following orders to harm the prisoners if need be.

“How are you feeling now?” The doctor started off by asking, while he did a quick check of the blonde’s vitals.

“A lot better actually. They finally fed us something, nothing to get excited about or anything, but it did the trick. I have a little more energy now, and no longer feel dizzy or nauseous.” Sanji answered. He had started thinking that all of his symptoms were caused by a combination of stress about their current situation, and the fact that he hadn’t eaten in nearly 24 hours. So he was hoping that this would mean the end of it. 

“That’s good to hear. Never skip any of the meals they give you. I know for a fact that they want to keep you all in good health, otherwise they wouldn’t ask me to look after any of you, so the food, even if it isn’t anything special, it’s still good. And it is important for your condition that you remain well fed.” The doctor said, turning to look in one of the many cabinets for something. He pulled out a bottle of pills, placing them on the bedside table beside Sanji, before sitting down next to it himself. 

“Here, take these.” He said, handing him two of the pills. He noticed his hesitation and sighed. “They’re not going to hurt you. They are meant to help some one in your condition. I take them all the time…” He emphasized his point by popping on of the pills into his own mouth. His eyes widened slightly when he realized what he just said, wondering if the younger omega figured it out, but only saw him still looking suspiciously at the pills. “Look, you can either take them the easy way, or I can give them to you the same way as before…”

“Fine, give them to me.” Sanji gave in, preferring not to have to choke them down again. The man placed them in his mouth, giving him a sip of water afterwards. After a few minutes passed by and nothing bad happened, he figured they were okay. But what the hell was wrong with him that he needed pills in the first place? And what did he mean by that food comment?

“I know the importance of always being well nourished…but what do you mean in my condition? Like…because I’m in such a stressful situation?” Sanji asked hesitantly, not liking the look the doctor was now giving him. He looked almost, sympathetic? There was pity in his eyes…but why? 

“I’m really sorry, um, what’s your name by the way?” He asked, wanting to delay this as long as possible. He already knew that this news would crush the boy, and he hated that he had to be the one to deliver it.

“S-sanji. Vinsmoke Sanji.” He answered, seeing the flicker of recognition in the other man’s eyes at his last name, but he didn’t say anything. “What’s yours?” He added on. He wanted to put a name to the face, so he wouldn’t have to keep thinking of him as the ‘omega doctor’ or the ‘pregnant man’.

“Trafalgar D. Water Law, but you can just call me Law if you would like.”

“Okay. It’s nice to meet you Law.” Sanji nodded, attempting to smile, but he couldn’t quite bring himself too. He was getting more and more nervous about what the doctor was about to say. 

“You too Sanji.” Law sighed, he had tried to release a soothing scent, hoping it might help, but it didn’t seem to be working. But considering the circumstances he could understand why.

“So…you were saying something about my condition? What exactly does that mean?” Sanji asked after far too long of a silence passed between them. Obviously the doctor didn’t want to have to say what he was about to say, and that terrified him.

“Let’s just say,” he finally started, “ that you and me have something else in common besides being male omegas.” Law finished, placing his hand on his protruding abdomen to emphasize his point. But going by the blank look on the younger man’s face, it seemed like he had missed the hint once again. 

“Something we have in common? What do you mean? I don’t…I don’t understand.” Sanji asked, confused. What could they possibly have in common? That didn’t make sense…and why was he giving him that same damn sympathetic look again? 

“Sanji-ya, you’re pregnant.” Law tried again, deciding to take the direct approach this time. Even though it might have been easier for him not to know, given his current situation, he couldn’t in good conscious allow that. The boy needed to know, it was important for the safety of his child that he did. The direct approach seemed to finally work, the confused look he had before turning to one of shock…and fear.

“W-what? P-pregnant? You can’t…you can’t be serious, right?” Sanji stumbled over his words, feeling his heart begin pounding in his chest, and his breaths started coming in short gasps. _There was no way, there was no way, there was no fucking way!_

“I’m afraid I am. I checked the results several times, and there is no mistaking it. Plus your symptoms and the timing of your last heat all point to it as well.”

“But, but my last heat was also my first heat! Shouldn’t, shouldn’t that mean you can’t get pregnant or some shit! Like the parts necessary aren’t activated yet?!” Sanji’s voice grew steadily louder and more panicked as he spoke. He also found it harder and harder to breath, as the information continued to sink in.

“That’s unfortunately a very common misconception. Why schools continue to teach these outdated curriculums is beyond me. In reality the opposite is actually true. An omegas chance of conceiving are drastically increased during their heat, but their fertility in never higher than it is during their first heat.”

“You can’t be serious! They never fucking taught us that! And it…it was just one time!” 

“I am serious, and one time is all it takes. Unfortunately, as you can imagine, this leads to many teen mothers…some of whom end up fine, but many also end up homeless and abandoned, and sadder yet, many are forced by their parents or their alphas to get abortions. The maternal instincts of an omega is so strong, that something like that can actually destroy an omega’s mind.”

“This, this can’t be real. I can’t be p-pregnant. I’m not even 18 yet! Not for a few more months…I’m still in high school! And I-I haven’t even fully processed the fact that I’m an omega yet, and now…and now this! Not too mention I’m, I’m…I’m being held prisoner by ruthless criminals!” Tears that he had been holding back for so long finally began falling from his eyes, his whole body shaking from the force of his sobs. This couldn’t be happening, this wasn’t fair. 

Right now his safety wasn’t guaranteed, which meant that the safety of this child wasn’t guaranteed…what the hell was he suppose to do now? How was he supposed to help the other omegas and keep them safe, if he had to take care of this unborn child now as well? 

And what about, what about Zoro? Holy shit, Zoro?!? Zoro, that mossy-headed idiot was the father! How could this have happened…well he knew how it happened, but that didn’t mean he could believe it. Out of everybody in the world who could get him pregnant, was it really the person that drove him crazier and got him more worked up than anybody else? Was it really his sworn rival, who he was determined to one-day get the better of in a fight? No, no…this couldn’t be happening, it couldn’t!

“Sanji, I know it’s hard, but you really need to calm down.” Law said with concern. Despite the amount of his scent he tried to release in the air to calm the teen down, he had begun to hyperventilate. If this kept up, he could pass out due to lack of oxygen, which certainly wasn’t ideal.

“N-no, I…” He tried to speak, but he couldn’t form the words, it was too hard, it hurt. 

He kept thinking about Zoro, and what this meant. How was he supposed to tell him? How would he take the news? Would he want to be there for their pup? Or would he leave them…what if Zoro hated him? What if he was disgusted by the thought of him being pregnant? What if he never wanted to see him or their child ever again? Why did that thought terrify him so damn much?

“I’m giving you a mild sedative. It won’t hurt you or the baby, but it should help you calm down.” Law said before inserting the needle into the blonde’s arm. It took several minutes to take effect, but eventually he saw his trembling slow and his breathing begin to even out. “It’s going to be okay Sanji.”

“How can you say that?” Sanji whispered, his voice coming out quiet and hoarse because of the stress that had just been put on his lungs and throat from his breakdown. “How dare you say everything is going to be okay when you damn well know it’s not. I’m being held prisoner by dangerous people, for god knows what reason…you yourself didn’t even want to know the truth, probably because of the guilt you would feel…yet, despite that, you’re actually going to tell me everything is going to be okay? I thought doctors were supposed to be smart, but obviously you’re a complete moron!”

“I’m sorry, you’re right. I shouldn’t say that considering the situation.” Law apologized, receiving no response. He never thought he would have to deal with something like this when he was first told he had to do this...he couldn’t help but wonder what _he_ would do in this situation. “Do you have people looking for you?”

“What?”

“Do you have people who are out looking for you as we speak?”

“Well I guess…” He started, when he suddenly felt a strange flash of something. It was anger, it was desperation, it was…it was Zoro. He couldn’t explain why, or how he knew it was him, but he swore he just felt Zoro, and briefly experienced all the emotions he was currently experiencing. But why was he so upset? Why was he so desperate? Was it…was it really because of him? Did he really care that much? New tears began stinging his eyes, overwhelmed by this realization. Why, why did this mean so much to him? “Yeah, there are definitely people looking for me.” He said with new confidence and certainty. He knew his friends would try and find them, but to feel such desperation and determination from Zoro, he couldn’t help but feel for the first time that they might actually succeed. 

“Well then what you need to do is hold on to the hope that they will find you. And in the meantime, I promise I will do whatever I can to keep you healthy and keep you here.” He had no idea how he was going to pull this off, not without alerting someone to the fact that something was going on, but he didn’t care, he had to try. 

“Why would you do that for me? You said yourself you didn’t want to get too close to any of us, that it was easier that way…”

“That was before I got to know you, and your situation…I know there is no excuse for me sitting back and turning a blind eye to everything before…but you have to understand I didn’t really have a choice. It’s a long story…” He sighed. Everything that happened was still so painful, that he could barely stand to think about it. But there was something about this boy, something that reminded him of himself…he almost felt safe in his presence, like he could finally open up and tell someone what happened. Though considering what Sanji was going through himself, he didn’t want to burden him with his problems…

“I want to hear it.” Sanji suddenly declared, snapping Law out of his thoughts.

“You want to hear what?” He asked confused.

“I want to hear your story, all of it.” The sincerity and determination in his voice surprised him. No one had ever wanted to know more about him before, well besides _him_ of course. He wasn’t sure if he was even ready to talk about it…he wasn’t sure if he would ever be ready to talk about it, but something about Sanji made him want to try. Even if it were painful, if it meant this young omega knowing that he wasn’t a complete monster for being here, then maybe it would be worth it.

“Alright, I’ll tell you.” And then he started, from the very beginning, when he first met a slightly strange, yet sweet alpha…

…

_Sanji…Sanji…Sanji…SANJI!_ He couldn’t think of anything else. The only thing in his mind was the blonde omega, and the fact that he had to find him. Sanji was scared, Sanji was terrified, Sanji was…Sanji was…Sanji was pregnant. Pregnant with _his_ pup. He had to protect him, he had to protect them! No matter what, no matter what, not matter what! His life meant nothing if he couldn’t protect them, and he would gladly give it away if it meant he could.

A group of alphas and betas had just surrounded him. There were at least 5 or 6…they were all enemies! They all must be destroyed! They were keeping him from finding his omega, his Sanji. 

“He’s the alpha Ace wanted us to slow down…I understand now why he said slow down instead of stop. That look in his eyes…I don’t think we could stop him even if we tried.” Vista muttered, pulling out his sword out of habit. He knew he couldn’t mortally wound this man, but he had to make sure he didn’t mortally wound any of them.

“I’ve never been so terrified…” Izou muttered, feeling herself being to tremble as she stared down the feral alpha. Her mate Thatch grabbed her hand, but even then, that homicidal look scared her to her core. He barely looked human anymore.

“Sanji…you will not get in my way of finding Sanji!” Zoro roared, before charging the group. The one with the sword tried to block his way, but he was easily able to dodge the blade. He spent years training in swordsmanship; one alpha holding a blade wasn’t nearly enough to stop him. 

They were all stunned at the way he moved, frozen in shock at how he was able to get by them all with such ease. Almost like they weren’t even there…

“I’ll phone Ace and let him know,” Vista sighed. Hoping that the others were in place. It would take a small army to stop that man at this point…he just hoped that they had one.

…

“So Luffy, why are we here? You were kind of fuzzy with the details on the phone.” Shanks asked, standing next to the younger alpha at the end of some seemingly random street. He had gotten a call about 30 minutes ago asking him to come to some house to discuss something, then he got a call 15 minutes later telling to come here instead…needless to say he was more than a little confused.

“Luffy!!” Ace shouted from the next street over. “I just got a call from Vista! They couldn’t stop him! He should be coming this way any minute!!”

“That’s why we’re here.” Luffy replied, keeping his eyes trained on the street before him. They were lucky enough that Zoro got a little lost, and that they were able to drive ahead of him and block off every possible street that could lead to the Donquixote pack house. There was nowhere for him to go…eventually he would run into one of the groups waiting 

“That’s great, but that doesn’t really answer my question. Who are you trying to stop, and why?”

“Zoro, a friend of mine. He’s going to be a member of my pack.” Luffy sighed, remembering what they had just learned. He couldn’t even imagine how he would react if the roles were reversed, and a pregnant Nami was taken from him. Though he was willing to bet he would likely slip into a rage as well. But even though he could understand why Zoro slipped into this state, didn’t mean he could allow it to continue. Throwing his life away would only hurt Sanji in the end, not help him. “The omega he claimed was taken by the kidnappers…he just found out that that omega is possibly pregnant with his child.”

“Say no more.” Shanks said. His mate Makino and their son came to mind, and he understood immediately. This alpha was going to be hard to stop.

“I feel…I feel like I failed.” Luffy mumbled after a few moments of silence passed between them, his eyes never leaving the street. He had always looked up to Shanks growing up, thinking he was an amazing leader. It was always his dream to be just like him…and he had thought that he had finally gotten his chance, only for everything to turn out in disaster. “I’m supposed to be the head alpha. I’m supposed to be able to watch over everyone and protect them. Instead…instead on the night the pack was supposed to be formed, not one but TWO of my pack members were taken. And then I find out one could be pregnant! How am I suppose to process that?! Now on top of everything another of my future pack members is going on a rampage and could get himself killed because of it. Because I wasn’t strong enough to keep anyone safe.”

“Luffy…” Shanks began, placing his hand on Luffy’s hat, which stood proudly on top of his head. “What did I tell you on the day that I gave you this hat?”

“That I would never be able to lead a pack because I was going to end up an omega and be forced to marry some guy named Chuck…”

“Oh, right, I did say that, didn’t I? I meant _after_ that.”

“That me and Chuck would have ten pups, and I would have to push them all out of my…”

“Okay! Story time is over!” Shanks interrupted, quickly looking around to make sure nobody overheard what the younger alpha just said. “What I said after all that was, that there were no perfect leaders. I saw the way you idolized me and I didn’t want you getting the wrong idea. Listen Luffy, every head alpha is human, we make mistakes…but what separates a bad leader from a good leader is the love you have for your friends and the desire you have to keep them safe. Any alpha can gather up a group, and call himself their leader. But it takes so much more than that.”

“But Sanji and Vivi are…”

“They are in danger. But that’s not your fault. Were you there when they were being taken?”

“No, I guess not but…”

“Then you definitely can’t blame yourself. Now let me ask you. Are you going to do everything in your power to get them back?”

“Of course! I WILL get them back no matter what!”

“And _that_ Luffy, is what’s going to make you an amazing head alpha.”

“Thanks Shanks.” Luffy said, feeling a bit more confident. But until he could get Zoro under control, and finally get Sanji and Vivi back, then he wouldn’t be able to fully believe anything he said. 

“Oh and Luffy,” Shanks said.

“Yes Shanks?”

“Don’t tell Makino, or any omega for that matter, about those things I said back when you were a kid. I was young, I didn’t have a mate, I wasn’t thinking…”

“You mean about Chuck?”

“Yes about Chuck. And about anything else you might remember…”

“Oh you mean about Steve and how I was going to have to…”

“For the love of God Luffy just stop!” 

Luffy chuckled about to finish his thought, when the scent finally hit them, and any hints of amusement that was in the air vanished. It was strong, it was angry, and it was coming right towards them. He barely had time to reach for his phone and send a quick text to Ace about where Zoro was heading before the green-haired teen appeared around a corner.

“Shit,” Shanks muttered, seeing the wild look in the teen’s eyes. After hearing about his omega he knew this was going to be bad, but he didn’t think he would be this far gone. It might be a lot harder than anyone realized to bring him back.

“Zoro, you need to stop right now!” Luffy shouted, standing directly in the center of the street, so Zoro had no real chance of getting past him with out at least some sort of fight. 

Zoro growled, showing no signs that he actually heard the words. All he saw was another obstacle trying to get in his way of finding Sanji…another obstacle that needed to be destroyed. 

He ran forward, attempting to go right by him, but found he was actually brought to a stop. What the hell? How could one tiny obstacle be so strong? And why was it trying to stop him? Why was it getting in his way of finding Sanji?

“MOVE!” He roared, throwing the other alpha out of the way. Luffy went flying about 6 or 7 feet before he landed, skidding to a stop. Zoro’s never been able to break out of one of his holds before. No matter how strong Zoro got, Luffy somehow managed to always be one step ahead, not that you would be able to tell that just by looking at them. But just now, Zoro broke his hold and threw him like it was nothing.

“We WILL get Sanji back! We just need a little bit of time!” Luffy tried speaking again, and there seemed to be a flicker of recognition when he said Sanji’s name. Maybe he was actually getting through to him?

“Sanji, Sanji, Sanji and baby…” Zoro kept repeating as he tried to charge through again. Or maybe he wasn’t getting through to him…

This impact was a lot harder and more challenging to stop, and he was barely able to do it. He had come very close to being pushed aside completely. He needed to stop him, he couldn’t let him pass. 

He could sense the others appearing around them. It seemed Ace had finally rounded up everyone else that had been blocking the other entry points. They formed a circle around the two of them, Whitebeard, Marco, Ace and Shanks stationed at all key points. No matter what happened, it was unlikely that Zoro was getting anywhere. As much of a reassurance as that was, he still needed to bring him back. Until he could, Zoro would be useless to them; he would be useless to Sanji.

“I know hearing that he might be pregnant was shocking, but that’s all the more reason for us to make this plan with Tashigi and the others. It’s our best chance at getting everybody out of there safe, including Sanji. Please, please snap out of it Zoro, we need you here!” Luffy shouted, despite still having a hold on the other alpha.

The force Zoro was pushing him with seemed to waver for the briefest moment, before he came back with all of his strength. He pushed Luffy away from him again, before throwing the hardest punch he could manage directly in his face. The force was enough to knock him to the ground.

“Luffy!” Ace shouted, about to run to his brother’s aid.

“Stop!” Shank’s shouted as well, holding up his hand to keep the younger man in place. “Don’t break this formation. We might need it. And right now this is between Luffy and his pack mate.”

“But!”

“Red-hair is right Ace. If Luffy is ever going to be this kids head alpha, then he needs to try and do this himself. We will only step in if necessary.” Whitebeard said with authority, causing Ace to give in and step back in line. But as much as he respected Whitebeard and would follow his every order, if things got too much worse, he would protect his brother no matter what.

Luffy got back to his feet, a little shaky and stunned from that punch. Man, Zoro’s regular punches were like a kitten batting at a ball of yarn compared to that…did going feral really give you super human strength? Cause it sure as hell felt like it.

He luckily had a chance to take a few deep breaths and try and compose himself, before Zoro came charging at him once again.

Instead of trying to grab him and hold him in place, he decided to take another approach. He went low, basically tackling his legs in order to take him out, and it worked. Zoro came crashing to the ground with a rather large thud.

He growled, trying to get back up, when Luffy jumped on his back, taking him down once again.

“Snap the hell out of it already! What’s it going to take to get you to stop?!” Luffy shouted.

“Sanji…” He answered, before he rolled over underneath Luffy, coming face to face with the other alpha. He grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him forward before slamming his fist into his face again, and again, and again.

Despite the beating he just took, Luffy was able to remain calm, speaking when there was a brief lull in the punches.

“Zoro, if you can hear me at all, then please, please, listen to me.” He begged, “I know how much you care for Sanji. Neither of you might ever admit it, but it’s true. Ever since we all met I could see there was something unspoken between you two, whether that be a rivalry, a friendship, or something else, but it was always there, a bond that drew you together. I saw it grow and deepen over the years. Which I think is why when you claimed him that your connection was instantly so strong. You wanted to be by his side…you wanted to protect him even when he didn’t need protecting…even though you might use instincts as an excuse, it’s so much more than that, isn’t it?”

“Let me up,” he hissed, punching the younger alpha yet again. But there wasn’t as much force behind it, which gave Luffy a small glimmer of hope that he was beginning to get through to him.

“Then to find out he was taken must’ve been horrible. It was horrible for me to, because Vivi and Sanji are my friends, but I know it’s nowhere near what you experienced. And as if that wasn’t hard enough, to find out he might be pregnant…that must’ve been unbearable.”

“I need to get to him!” He cried out, feeling some of his strength begin fading away. It was getting harder and harder to try and break Luffy’s hold.

“I know you do. And I promise you will. But we need to do this right. If you were to just go barging in there, not only would you be killed, but you would also be putting Sanji and the other omegas in jeopardy. Donquixote or whatever the hell his name is, might consider moving all the omegas to another location if he thinks anyone is on to them, which you are basically declaring if you run in there. It is important that they all remain where they are now in order for our plan to work. It’s important for yours AND Sanji’s safety for you to stop this right now.”

“I don’t care about me. I just want to protect him.”

“I understand the feeling, but you need to care about yourself as well. How do you think Sanji would feel if something happened to you? You think he wouldn’t care? All the things I mentioned before about a connection between you two, it isn’t a one sided thing, I know he feels it too. Not too mention, if he were pregnant, you would be the father of his child. You might not think it, but it would destroy him if something ever happened to you, just like I know the same would be true for you if something happened to him.”

“Luffy…Luffy, I’m sorry.” Zoro finally spoke, the intensity of his scent diminishing, and the wildness in his eyes fading away. “As the old man was telling me, I knew the right thing to do would be to remain calm. But once the thought finally sunk in, I couldn’t control myself. The idea that Sanji could be caring my child, and the thought that they are both in danger…”

“You don’t have to explain to me why it happened. I understand. I’m just glad I was able to reach you in time.”

“What if…what if he really is pregnant? What if I’m going to be a father? What if…what if we can’t make it to them in time?” Zoro mumbled, cursing as he felt tears stinging the back of his eyes. The whole situation was overwhelming and it was finally catching up to him.

“Don’t even consider that option. Have faith in our friends, have faith in the plan, and most importantly, have faith in Sanji. He’s strong isn’t he?”

“Yes, of course.” Zoro answered without hesitation.

“He would do anything to protect what’s important to him, including his child, wouldn’t he?”

“Yes, of course…assuming he realizes he’s pregnant.” Zoro sighed; all of a sudden terrified what Sanji might to without even knowing.

“We just have to pray that he does. And if he doesn’t, then that’s all the more reason to head back to the house, so we can finalize the details of the plan and put it into action as soon as possible.” Luffy said, finally standing up, reaching his hand out to Zoro, who was still on the ground.

Zoro nodded, completely back in control of his own mind. He still wanted to get to Sanji as fast as humanly possible, but realized now what the best way to do that was. He took Luffy’s hand, accepting the help. He was going to need help to get Sanji back, and he was okay with that, as long as he got to see the blonde once again.

Once the large group started the long walk back to the house, Shanks made his way over, so he was walking beside Luffy.

“I’m proud of you kid. You’re going to make one hell of a head alpha.” Shanks said, beaming with pride. He went to pat the kid’s hat again, when he turned his head and looked up at him, causing him to step back in surprise.

“What? What’s wrong?” 

“Oh nothing…except your face is currently twice its normal size.”

“Yeah, he did punch pretty hard in his rage.” Luffy laughed, hissing in pain when his face moved trying to do so. “Crap, do you think Nami will notice?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Nami. Remind me again…does she have eyes?”

“Yes…”

“Then she will definitely notice.”

“Damn!” Luffy pouted, causing everybody within earshot to chuckle. The incredibly tense mood from before was momentarily gone, and for the time being everybody’s spirits were lifted. It was nice break, considering the hell they were all about to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, thoughts? Like I mentioned in the notes at the beginning of the chapter, I was a little unsure about this one. I don't know why…maybe it's because the response for the last few chapters has been so good, that I start to second guess myself. Either way I really hope you enjoyed it, and I would love to hear about what you thought!
> 
> I probably won't post again until after the weekend, so have a great weekend! And happy Thanksgiving to any fellow Canadians out there! That also reminds me, I was actually curious about where everybody who reads this is from? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, and you don't have to be too detailed if you do…maybe just a country, or possibly a state if you are from the US. I'll start, I am from Alberta Canada. Like I said, don't feel like you have to answer if you don't want, I just thought it would be kind of cool to see how far around the world this story has reached. 
> 
> I'll stop rambling now. Thank you for reading, and hopefully you will be seeing more soon!


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law's story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everybody for your wonderful comments. I was a little unsure of myself last chapter, and you all helped with that a lot. Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter just as much!
> 
> So this chapter is basically just Law's back story, yet it some how ended up being my longest chapter yet. Originally I was thinking it would turn out to be 3000-4000 words, but some how it ended up being over 8000, lol. Hopefully you enjoy the extra length!

“I was very sick as a kid, so sick in fact that I wasn’t supposed to live to see my 12th birthday. Needless to say I spent the majority of my childhood in a hospital.” Law began his story, shuttering at the memory. He had absolutely hated hospitals when he was a kid, he also hated doctors, nurses, and anything else related to them. It was pretty ironic considering what he chose to do with his life only a few short years later. 

“That’s horrible, I’m sorry to hear that.” Sanji said sympathetically. He had spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child himself, but he was only there to get stitches, or broken bones set, from all the fights he had with his brothers. He couldn’t imagine being stuck in there full time.

“It was certainly a miserable time in my life. I was weak and in constant pain…there were several occasions when I just wanted to give up. I actually prayed for death a few of times…but then, I met him, and he changed everything.” Sanji saw the tiniest of smiles starting to form on the other omega’s face as he spoke. “He was a volunteer at the hospital. He was 5 years older than me, so he was already a teenager at the time…most teenagers wouldn’t willing waste their weekends volunteering, yet there he was, every single weekend. He could be found sitting with the elderly talking, reading stories to children, or anything else that was asked of him. And I guess some of the nurses were growing concerned with my fading will to live, so they asked him to try and cheer me up.”

“He was such an idiot…” Law chuckled, after pausing for a brief moment, getting lost in his thoughts. “Very immature for his age…and he tried the stupidest things to try and cheer me up. He would tell knock-knock jokes, and fart jokes…he even dressed up like an actual clown one time! Who even likes clowns? They’re horrifying…” Sanji nodded in agreement, and waited for the older man to continue. “Every time he would come I would tell him to not waste his time, and to just leave me alone to die. And every time he would completely ignore my request and continued on with whatever idiotic thing he was saying. This continued for months…he even started coming more often than on weekends. Near the end it got to the point where I was seeing him every day. And as much as I hated it at first, and as stupid and immature as he was, somehow I started to look forward to the visits. I would actually get sad and disappointed if he didn’t show up. His visits became the highlight of my day; I would even go so far as to say that the only reason I wanted to live and wake up each morning was so I could see him again. That probably sounds a little dramatic, huh?” Law asked, needing a moment to compose himself before he went further.

“I don’t think it sounds dramatic at all…I know my experience is nothing like yours, but, I don’t exactly have the best family in the world, and there were several times growing up that I didn’t want to be there anymore. I even ran away once. It was only because of my friends, and a man named Zeff, that I was able to survive living at home as long as I did.” Sanji said, all of a sudden feeling very embarrassed for sharing something so personal for seemingly no reason. Law probably thought he was an idiot…the older omega’s childhood was so much more traumatic than his was, he probably thought he was a winy little baby complaining about his family like that.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’ve heard some rumors about the Vinsmoke family, none of them good. I can’t imagine they reacted well when you presented as an omega?” Law spoke, no hints of annoyance or judgment in his voice, just genuine concern and sympathy. 

“They kicked me out…not that I wasn’t happy to go. I think of it as silver lining to this whole omega thing.”

“Being an omega isn’t all that bad,” Law murmured, absent-mindedly caressing his abdomen. As much as he hated the whole thing when he first presented, he wouldn’t want to change a thing now even if he could. Being an omega had brought him so many wonderful things and experiences…but he had to remind himself he was talking to a seventeen year old kid who just found out he was pregnant. “But I suppose I’ve had years to get use to the idea, and you have only had about a month and a half. I’m sorry you’ve had such bad experiences with it so far, but I promise things will get better eventually.”

“If I get out of here.” Sanji muttered, the mood in the room darkening momentarily. He actually felt tears beginning to sting the back of his eyes; when he remembered the situation he was currently in. But he took a few deeps breaths, not wanting to fall apart completely again. And he was curious to know the rest. “Please continue with your story.”

“Are you sure? We can stop if you want, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m sure, I really do want to know. Besides, it is a welcome distraction.”

Law could see that the teen was struggling not to fall apart, and wanted to help in anyway he could, so he continued his story. 

“Eventually I started getting better. The doctors couldn’t figure out why, as far as they were concerned my case should’ve been terminal. But I knew why. It was because of him. That stupid, immature teenager that wouldn’t leave me alone…he gave me a reason to live. It might be medically impossible, but I truly believe that he saved my life. Unfortunately, once I was well again, my parents decided to move across the country, which meant I had to say goodbye to the boy that saved me. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done, and considering I had just survived a deadly disease, that’s saying a lot. It practically destroyed me…I honestly thought I was never going to see him again.”

“Did you?” Sanji couldn’t help by blurt out. It seemed his problems were once again forgotten, and he was completely absorbed in the other omega’s story.

“I did.” Law smiled momentarily, before it faded away. “Though sometimes I wished I hadn’t. If we hadn’t met again, then what happened, wouldn’t have happened…but I’m getting ahead of myself.” Law took a deep shuttering breath before he continued. “I was what you could call a ‘prodigy’ of sorts. I finished high school when I was 15, and finished my pre-med requirements by the time I was 17. I got into every medical school I applied to, and I chose the one here…even though it had been almost 7 years, and I was sure he had forgotten me by now, I still wanted to be closer to him, even if we didn’t end up meeting again. My parent’s were all too happy to agree to my choice and let me go. I had presented about 6 months earlier, and I could tell they were already fed up with dealing with me and my ‘special’ needs. Which was fine by me.”

“So I moved across the country again, and started attending university. I was lucky enough to be able to stay in the omega dorms. They almost didn’t let me because I was male, but once they realized it was unlikely for two omegas to be drawn to each other, they gave in and let me. Which was nice, since I got a place to live and a chance to experiment with the other omegas anyway...”

“You what?! You…you know…with another omega?” Sanji couldn’t help but blurt out, blushing furiously once the question left his lips. Could he sound more like an inexperienced child?

“Yeah, on a few different occasions…it’s still possible to find other omegas sexually attractive, even if you aren’t drawn to them as long term partners. Just like someone’s primary sexuality can vary, and they can be attracted to men, women, both, neither, or anything in between, someone’s secondary sexuality can also vary. But anyway, the experiments didn’t last long. In the end it was against my instincts to have to constantly take on the dominant role like that.”

“So you realized you were gay?” Sanji asked, once again blushing furiously. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?

“I didn’t say that. I still find some females attractive, but in the end I started to gravitate towards alphas, which of course are mostly men. I mean I had to have been at least a little gay to end up pregnant, right?” He tried to joke, but instantly realized his mistake, when he sensed the slightly distressed smell in the air. He kept forgetting that Sanji was pregnant as well, and that there was the scent of an alpha on him. Obviously he was claimed during his first heat…most likely by a man…and if this kid had considered himself straight before that happened, it was probably yet another issue he was struggling to accept. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No…you were just joking. I know I shouldn’t take things like that personally. It’s difficult though…I mean, on top of having a secondary gender crisis, I’m now dealing with both a primary and secondary sexuality crisis.” Sanji mumbled, knowing that his face was probably the brightest possible red at this point. Why did he keep opening up like this? Why did he have to feel so damn comfortable around this omega? The fact that they were both male and pregnant came to mind, but he really didn’t want to think about _that_ at the moment.

“That must be hard…I dealt with the secondary gender thing as well. I’m pretty sure no male ever expects to present as an omega, so it’s always a struggle for them when they do. But I had actually accepted the fact that I was bisexual before I presented, so I can’t really relate to the other part.” He was pretty sure he first realized he was attracted to men when he was a child sitting in that hospital bed, watching that adorable idiot putting on a show for him…

“Yeah, I mean, I love women. They were basically all I thought about before I presented. Women and cooking, women and cooking…that was literally all that was on my mind 24/7. And then all of a sudden…I don’t know. I still find them beautiful, and I want to cater to them and look after them, but all of the _other_ things that I used to want to do to them, I don’t really have a desire for anymore. I haven’t admitted that to anyone yet…I’ve tried to hold on to the belief that a female alpha will still come and sweep me off my feet, but since I’ve never met one I don’t even know if that would work. I don’t know if it’s woman I’m no longer interested in, or if it just the fact that I am drawn to alphas now, and that if I did meet a female alpha, then maybe I would be attracted to her. I’m just so damn confused.” He hissed, blinking back tears of frustration. He wished he could hide his face in his hands right now or something, and hated that he was left vulnerable out in the open like this. Law must’ve picked up on this, and turned his back toward him for a few minutes, giving him his privacy while he composed himself. “Sorry,” he eventually said, “I’m alright now.”

“I know my words probably won’t bring you much comfort, but I just want to say, whether it turns out you aren’t attract to women anymore or if it’s just alphas in general you are drawn to, that it doesn’t matter. As long as you love that person you are with and that you share a bond, that’s what truly matters…” Law said, turning back around. And just like he predicted his words didn’t seem to comfort the younger omega at all, if anything he seemed even more distressed than before, so he decided to continue his story in order to distract him once again.

“So anyway, I started medical school. And for the first year of it, my life fell into a fairly boring routine. It was during the winter semester of my second year that everything changed…one day while I was on a break, I went to a popular coffee shop just off of campus. Once I had my coffee I went to find a place to sit. There were no open tables; in fact there was only one open chair in the whole place. A blonde alpha was already sitting there and he was dressed rather oddly. He was wearing a large feathery coat, and he had paint on his face…he definitely looked like someone you probably wanted to avoid. I was tempted to just leave, but I had come all the way there, and I was determined to enjoy my coffee and not allow myself to get intimidated. So I marched over there and asked if I could sit down. He didn’t say anything, just looked up at me, and I saw his eyes widen in surprise for some reason. I was about to ask him what the hell his problem was, when he whispered my name. My first thought was ‘holy crap, this weirdo knows my name, is he some sort of sick stalker or something?’ when I finally realized who he was. He looked so different, and it was hard to tell because of the paint on his face, but after a few moments I was sure of it. That weirdo was the same boy who had cheered me up all those years ago as a child.”

“You found him again, that’s great!” Sanji couldn’t help but smile, he was becoming more and more invested in the story, and found himself genuinely happy to hear he had found the boy that had been so important to him once more. 

“Yeah, in some ways it was the best thing that has ever happened to me…but in others, it is one of the worst.”

“What do you mean?” He asked confused. 

“I think you will understand what I mean when I finish the story.” Law sighed. This is where the story started getting painful to tell, and he almost didn’t want to continue. But he figured he was already this far in, it would be unfair to keep the teen hanging now. 

“We both stood frozen, not really sure what to say, when a huge smile broke across his face, and he practically crushed me in a hug. He started blubbering about how he was so worried about me, thinking that I could’ve relapsed or something. He was actually crying…you could imagine the scene we made. Here was this insanely tall alpha, with face paint and flashy clothing, hugging a male omega and crying like a baby. We got more than a few odd looks…” Law chuckled, remembering the terrified look on the beta manager’s face when she asked them to leave. 

“After that we went to a nearby park and caught up. I told him all about medical school and why I decided to go. He looked so proud, it made me so happy…but when I asked him about himself, and what he had been doing all those years, he didn’t answer me; he just changed the subject back to me. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t talk about himself at the time, it made sense later though…after we finished catching up, I asked if we could exchange numbers and stay in touch. I was so embarrassed when I did that. I don’t think I ever blushed so hard in my life. He seemed reluctant at first, I was so humiliated thinking he was going to turn me down. Here was the man that I basically moved half way across the country for, and he didn’t even want to exchange numbers…but he eventually gave in, I think it was more out of pity than anything though.” 

_If only I hadn’t asked,_ he thought, _then things would’ve turned out so different, for the both of us…I’m sure of it._ But then he caressed his stomach, and couldn’t bring himself to completely regret his decision, no matter what happened. 

“We started texting each other everyday, and eventually we started to hang out on weekends. We would usually meet at the movies, or go out for dinner or something. As an alpha he wasn’t allowed in my omega dorms, and the one time I asked if I could go over to his place, his face had darkened…he almost looked like a different person, so I dropped the subject and never asked again.” Law actually shivered remembering that face. It was a sight that still haunted him to this day, that there was something that could cause such a happy, kind man to look so…for the lack of a better word, evil. He shook the thought from his mind, and continued.

“It took about a year of reconnecting, but eventually we started dating. I feel foolish saying it, but at the time, I was so happy…I was so in love…and I was so ignorant. We continued dating for the next year, but no matter how close we got, it still seemed like he was keeping me at a distance, like there was something he was hiding.” 

“I eventually got my own apartment off campus so we could spend more time together. My heats had been getting worse, probably because I was courting an alpha, and my body was crying out for him…but the first heat I experienced in my new apartment, he hadn’t come over when I called. I was so upset, so confused…why didn’t he want to be with me? Weren’t we courting? Didn’t he love me like I loved him? I actually didn’t talk to him for nearly a month after that…he eventually apologized enough that I gave in and forgave him. It was probably foolish of me to do so, especially considering that he didn’t even explain to me why he didn’t want to spend my heat with me…but I couldn’t help it. I still cared about him so damn much that he could’ve literally done anything and I probably would’ve forgiven him.”

“Law, are you okay? Do you want to stop?” Sanji asked, smelling the distressed scent that was now hanging in the air. He could see the older omega’s hands trembling ever so slightly…the last thing he wanted was to see him upset, especially in his condition.

“I’m, I’m okay.” Law eventually said, after taking a few deep breaths. He knew telling this story was going to be hard, but he hadn’t thought it would be quite this painful. It almost felt like he was reliving everything, and that was something he had never wanted to experience. 

He could feel his hands shaking ever so slightly, craving some sort of contact. It had been so long since he had felt any form of comfort that he almost forgot what it felt like. He tried so hard, for so long, to pretend that he didn’t need it, but in the end he was still an omega, a pregnant one at that, and he still felt things just like any other omega.

“Sanji-ya,” he started hesitantly, feeling completely stupid for asking. But he really did need this, especially if he was going to continue with his story. So he swallowed his pride and continued. “Can I…can I hold your hand?” He was sure his face was a brilliant shade of red by now. What the hell was he thinking? The kid was going to think he was a complete idiot…

“Of course,” Sanji answered, turning his hand over so it was palm up, waiting for the older omega’s hand to join his. If he was being honest, he had needed the comfort just as much as the older man did, but after his breakdown earlier he had been too embarrassed to ask. 

Law grabbed his hand, instantly feeling a warmth, a sense of safety, a sense of comfort…something he hadn’t experienced in almost 6 months. He felt the shaking in his hands stop, and he felt that he could finally continue.

“About a month after he ignored me during my heat, I finally found out the reason why. We just finished seeing a movie, and we were walking back to the train station hand in hand, when a group of 4 alphas came up to us. They were saying some pretty crude things…but for the most part Rosinante was able to stay fairly calm, that’s his name by the way, I don’t think I’ve mentioned it until now…but I could tell that something was definitely wrong.”

_10 months ago_

_“Well, well, what do we have here boys? Why isn’t it Corazon? Weren’t you supposed to be out collecting information on the Big Mom pack for Doflamingo?” One of the alphas asked, a sneer on his face. Rosinante stayed silent, pulling the startled omega closer to him. Law would of course deny it later on, but he could sense that he was frightened…and he couldn’t blame him. He was scared himself. How was he going to get out of this one? Out of everybody who could’ve seen them, why did it have to be those four? His brother’s most loyal dogs… “Instead you’re out having fun with a pretty little omega? That just doesn’t seem fair…and why are you shielding her away? Why don’t you bring her out and share with your pack mates?”_

_The alpha that spoke reached toward the hidden omega, causing a growl unlike Law had ever heard come from Rosinante. It caused him to still, almost forgetting to breathe, if he wasn’t scared before, he certainly was now._

_“Awfully protective of some random piece of omega ass…unless she is more than that to you? You have seemed awfully distracted these last few months. Doffy will be so disappointed that you kept something so important from him. He is your brother, and head alpha after all…”_

_Law was so confused, what the hell were they talking about? He recognized the name Doflamingo…wasn’t he the leader of some pack full of criminals? But that didn’t make sense…why would they imply Rosinante was in that pack? And why would they imply he was Doflamingo’s brother? There was no way! That was insane…but why, why wasn’t Rosinante denying it? Why wasn’t he saying anything at all?!_

_“What’s the matter Corazon? Cat still got your tongue?” That same alpha laughed, all of the others joining in. “Just wait until Doflamingo hears about this.” Another growl came from Rosinante at those words, causing the group of alphas that were surrounding them to laugh again. “How terrifying, the silent little lamb is getting angry.” The alpha hissed, narrowing his eyes at the blonde before him…he had always thought there was something suspicious with this guy. But Doflamingo refused to acknowledge it because he was his brother…maybe if he could finally get something on him, then Doflamingo would finally listen to him._

_Rosinante had his eyes trained on the alpha before him, that he hadn’t even noticed one of the others moving, before it was too late. One of the alpha’s had grabbed a hold of Law, yanking on his arm, until he was exposed to the entire group._

_“Holy shit! Look at this Vergo!” The alpha that still had a hold on Law’s arm said, with a strangely high voice. “This omega is a dude!”_

_“I’ve never seen one of those before…it’s kind of gross…” Another of the group said._

_“I agree with Diamante. It’s kind of unnatural, isn’t it?” The fourth alpha in the group said, getting right up in Law’s face. Law tried to pull away as much as he could, both disgusted and terrified at the snot-covered alpha being so close to him. “I wonder what Doffy would think if he knew his little brother was a queer?”_

_Law couldn’t help but whimper as the alphas kept examining him, which finally caused Rosinante to snap out of it, and pull Law back towards him. He tried to calm the frightened omega down by wrapping his arms around him, but he wouldn’t stop trembling. He wanted to say something so bad, he wanted to tell the younger man that everything was going to be okay, but he couldn’t do that, not with out blowing part of his cover._

_“Was that the big secret you were hiding?” The alpha named Vergo hissed, appearing annoyed. “That you’re a fag?” Sure Doflamingo would probably be pissed when he found out, but this wouldn’t be enough to open his eyes and realize that there was something going on with his brother…that there was a chance he wasn’t completely on their side. It pissed him off that he once again couldn’t get the evidence that he needed…but at least this little bit of information might cause a rift between the brothers in the mean time, so it wasn’t a complete loss._

_“What’s going on?” Law whispered, and all Rosinante could do was hold him even tighter._

_“Whatever, let’s go guys,” Vergo said, signaling to the others that they were done. “But you better believe Doffy will hear about this, and that he will want to meet your little friend…” And with that, the group of alphas began walking away, leaving Rosinante and Law alone in the middle of the street once more._

“After that we went back to my place, and very reluctantly, he told me everything…”

_“What the hell is going on? Who were those alphas?” Law asked once they were safely back at his apartment, and his nerves had calmed down enough for him to speak._

_“I’m sorry Law, this is all my fault…I so badly wanted to keep you away from all of this. I thought if I didn’t claim you or bond you that I would be able to do that…I’m such an idiot. I should’ve just walked away when I first recognized you at that café…”_

_“How can you say that? Don’t you…don’t you love me?” Law asked, not able to keep the tremor out of his voice. He hated sounding so damn weak! But hearing those words come out of Rosinante’s mouth, he couldn’t help it._

_“Of course I do Law! I love you so damn much that it hurts!”_

_“Then never say you wish none of this happened! Despite the distance that has remained between us, this has still been the best two years of my life; I would never say I wished it hadn’t happened! Just help me understand…who were those guys? And what did you mean when you said you were trying to keep me away from it all? What’s going on?”_

_“It’s a long story…one that I don’t know if I should tell you. Once you know, you could be in danger. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.”_

_“I don’t care! I don’t care if it puts me in danger. I just want to know you Rosinante! We’ve been together for so long, and sometimes I feel like you are still a stranger, and that kills me. Whatever the hell is going on, I want to hear it, I want to know. Please, please don’t push me away again.”_

_“Law,” Rosinante sighed, preparing to tell the omega that he couldn’t, when he looked up and saw the look in the younger man’s eyes. It broke his heart that he was the one that caused the love of his life to look like that, and despite what he knew was best for him, he couldn’t bare to turn him down. And so he told him the truth, all of it._

“It turned out that Rosinante was indeed Doflamingo’s younger brother, and that he was a part of his pack. I couldn’t believe it when he first told me, because everything I knew about him was sweet and kind, how could he possibly belong to a criminal organization? And that’s when he told me. He was only apart of the pack so he could get inside information…the truth was he was an undercover police officer, who’s main goal in life was to bring down his psychopath of a brother. That was the reason he had been so distant with me, why he had refused to spend a heat with me up until then, he was trying to keep me as far away from his brother and pack as he possibly could. But now that some of the pack had seen me, and it turned out Doflamingo wanted to meet me, there was no longer anything Rosinante could do to keep me truly safe. Even if he broke up with me, and told me he never wanted to see me again, it was too late. Doflamingo’s curiosity was already peaked, and he would find a way to meet me one way or another.”

“So it that why you are here now? Your mate is in this pack?” Sanji asked after a few moments of silence had passed between them. He was hoping that Law would say yes, and that he and his mate were just biding their time until they could get out…but the look on the other omega’s face was telling a different story.

“No, he’s not, at least not anymore…” Law sighed. It still honestly didn’t seem real. Like these last 6 months had been nothing more than a dream…or more accurately, a nightmare. 

“He agreed to allow me to meet Doflamingo, hoping that it would be enough to satisfy his brother’s curiosity. But he seemed to be more fascinated with me than Rosinante had anticipated…we tried to keep our distance, but there was only so much Rosinante could do when Doflamingo, the head alpha, demanded he bring me over. It was so uncomfortable the way he would look at me…it still is.” Law shivered at the very thought of that disgusting, probing gaze. He felt violated each and every time those eyes landed on him.

“Rosinante even finally claimed me during my next heat after I first met his brother, hoping that it would curb his interest, but not even that worked. Doflamingo started talking about bring me into the pack officially, especially since I had just finished medical school, and they had recently lost their last medic. Rosinante knew that once his brother had his eye on something, that he would never stop until he got it. He felt like there was only one thing he could do in order to keep me safe from his brother…” Law sighed, feeling the tears burning at the back of his eyes. _Keep it together, just a little while longer._ He scolded himself, mentally preparing for what was coming next.

“He waited until after my next heat was over before he put his plan into action, about 6 months ago…and despite everything that was going on, I still asked him to bond with me during that heat. I thought, since everything between us was out in the open now, that we could finally be together properly…but he turned me down, again…he probably knew what was going to happen to him, even then, and wanted to spare me any extra pain. Whether he succeeded in that, I’m not so sure…”

“He decided to accelerate the case he had been building against his brother, and try to bring the entire pack down prematurely. He planned to sneak into Doflamingo’s private office, a room that was always heavily guarded, and gather the rest of the evidence he needed. I will never forget his face when he left my apartment that morning…that sad, apologetic look in his eyes. He was saying goodbye, it was like he knew he would fail…yet he tried to do it anyway, for me. He was killed by Doflamingo’s men that night, and it’s all my fault…” 

The tears that had been stinging his eyes were now freely flowing down his face, with no end to them in sight. Just thinking about it tore him apart; it made him feel so helpless…so weak. 

“It wasn’t your fault Law,” Sanji began carefully, wishing there was something he could do to calm the other omega down. He tried to release some of his scent like the older omega had done earlier, but nothing seemed to happen. He squeezed his hand tighter instead, feeling tears of sympathy begin stinging his own eyes. “He was a police officer. He knew the risks of what he was doing, and chose to do it anyway. That’s not your fault.”

“It’s hard to see it that way…especially considering where I ended up. He gave his life trying to keep me as far away from his brother as he could, and yet here I am.” Law motioned to the room in general, feeling his body begin to tremble. _Rosinante, my love, I am so damn sorry. You risked everything for me and this is how I repay you? I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!!!_

“Law…”

“At the funeral, Doflamingo had the nerve to show up.” Law continued, through his sobs. He knew if he didn’t finish the story now, that he would never be able to. “He claimed his men acted without his permission and that he had the ones responsible ‘taken care’ of…but I never believed a single word that came from that vile man’s mouth. But no matter what I did or said, he and his men wouldn’t leave me alone…then a few weeks later when I found out I was pregnant, Doflamingo somehow found out as well and he actually forced me over to his pack house, and gave me some grand speech about how he couldn’t be there for his brother like he should’ve, so he wanted to be there for his niece or nephew. Every word he spoke made me sick, but what was I supposed to do? It was clear he wasn’t going to take no for an answer, I had already learned that much about him, and given my current condition, I couldn’t risk earning his wrath...I don’t really care about my own life, but I would never, NEVER, risk the life of my child, Rosinante’s child. This is all I have left of him, and I would do anything to keep him or her safe.” Law’s free hand found his protruding abdomen once again, caressing it gently, needing the comfort only the child within him could provide. As if sensing his distress, the growing child gave the smallest of kicks, causing a teary smile to appear on his face.

“I’m sorry I said all of those harsh things to you before. If I would’ve known…I completely understand why you are doing what you are doing now.” Sanji said quietly, feeling terribly for ever questioning the other omega’s motives. Now that he knew the truth, if the roles were reversed, could he say he would do things differently? Absolutely not…

“Don’t worry about it, I would’ve judged me too…in fact, even though I don’t feel like I have a choice, I can’t help but judge myself anyway. I’ve tried my best to collect what little evidence I can, hoping that maybe one day I could finish what Rosinante set out to do, but it has been difficult. I can’t take any unnecessary risks, and despite this façade of freedom Doflamingo has given me, the truth of the matter is that he and the rest of his pack don’t trust me. I have refused to pledge myself to them, not to mention I have the traitor’s child growing within me. If it wasn’t for Doflamingo’s strange fascination with me, I probably would’ve been killed right after Rosinante was.”

“Do you think…” Sanji began, not knowing if he should ask or not. But considering everything else the older omega had just shared, he figured it couldn’t hurt. “Do you think Doflamingo wants to bond with you or something? I mean, if he is that obsessed with you.”

“Honestly, I don’t know…” Law sighed, feeling slightly nauseous when the idea was brought up. It was something he considered several times himself, and it made him feel ill each and every time. There wasn’t much Doflamingo could do right now that he was pregnant, but after this child was born and he went into heat once again, was a different story…he had held on to the hope that he would find some way to safely leave this place by then. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted that. He seems like the kind of man who would want me, if only for the fact that I loved his brother. Like a child wanting a toy that belonged to another child…even if it’s only because of a whim or something, he feels entitled, and that he should be able to have whatever he wants. He already has two omega mates, so what could a third hurt…”

“What?! Seriously?! But I thought…I thought once an alpha and omega bonded that it was for life. That nothing could come between the two?” Sanji asked, confused. He knew Zeff had been mated, and was never able to move on after his mate’s death. Even his father, despite being a piece of garbage, never mated again once his mother died. He had assumed it was impossible…

“Well that is true most of the time, but it isn’t always the case…a bond between an alpha and omega is particularly strong, far stronger then the bond that is experienced between two betas, so most of the time when that bond is created an alpha and omega are content, and will be together for life. Even after one of them dies, it is hard for the other one to ever move on, a part of them will always be with their original mate…which I can only assume is why Rosinante refused to bond with me in the end. He knew his life was always going to be at risk, and he didn’t want me experiencing that sort of crippling loss. He probably wanted me to have the option of finding love again, and being able to mate more easily with another…but it’s hard to imagine that ever happening anyways. Even though we weren’t bonded, I don’t know if I could ever allow myself to love someone like that again…but anyway, the point I was trying to make is that even though a bond between an alpha and omega is strong, that there are some exceptions. It is possible for the surviving partner to move on after their mate’s death, assuming they are able to find someone they loved as deeply as their first mate. But when those two eventually bond, their bond will never be as strong as the one they shared with their original partner; it would be like a half bond. And finally, even though it is rare, it is possible for an alpha or an omega to take multiple mates. But all members that are already in the bond have to be willing to except someone new into it. So when Doflamingo bonded with his second omega, the first omega had to be willing and accept them…”

“Wow…I had no idea about any of that. I thought a bond was forever, and that nothing could ever break it.” Sanji muttered, in complete shock. But he guessed he shouldn’t be that surprised. If the schools didn’t teach them that an omega was most fertile during their first heat, then he shouldn’t be surprised by the loads of other things that the schools had failed to teach them as well. 

“Yeah, it’s not common knowledge I suppose, unless you happen to be one of those few rare individuals that do defy the odds of a bond. So back to your original question, I wouldn’t be surprised if Doflamingo wanted me to be brought into the bond he shared with his other two omegas, both of whom would be too terrified to ever reject the idea…but unless I am willing, that bond will never, EVER, happen. An omega _can_ be force claimed, but they can’t be force bonded. Both parties at least need to be somewhat willing for a bond to take. Doflamingo is probably thinking that his kind words, and him giving me the small amount of freedom that he has will eventually ‘woo’ me over or something, but he is insane…I am biding my time until this baby is born, but I have no idea what I am going to do after that.”

“Come with us.” Sanji said suddenly, surprising both Law and himself.

“What? What are you talking about Sanji-ya?” Law asked, furiously wiping away the last of the tears from his puffy, tired eyes. Telling his story had taken a lot out of him, and he felt like he could probably sleep for hours after this. Not that he could afford to…until this whole ordeal with the omegas was solved, he doubted he would be able to sleep more than a wink.

“My friends, I know they are coming for me and Vivi. And I know they won’t ever give up until they succeed…so when they come for us, you should come with us! We might be a small group, and young, but we are strong. Our leader Luffy is practically a monster! So is my alph…I mean…so is one of our other pack mates, Zoro. No matter what happens I know we would be able to keep you and your baby safe. What do you say?” He asked with such hope in his voice. He knew it might seem crazy…in fact he could just picture Zoro lecturing him about trusting the enemy…but even if he only just met the other omega hours earlier, he couldn’t help but feel a bond that had grown between them. Even though he felt close to Nami, and Vivi, his two fellow omega pack mates, there was something different about Law. He was a fellow male omega, not only that, but he was also pregnant…he couldn’t help but look up him. Not to mention hearing his story had broken his heart. In the short time they had known each other, he felt a connection, and it would kill him to leave the older man behind, to who knows what fate.

“Sanji-ya…I don’t know. If you guys did that, I would be putting your entire pack at risk. Including you…if anything happened to you or your baby because of me. I already have enough guilt and regrets to last me a life time, I can’t possibly handle anymore.”

“Then good thing there wouldn’t be any regrets for you to have…I might have had my doubts at first about what my friends would be able to accomplish, but after feeling the intensity Zoro had while looking for me, there is no longer any doubts in my mind. My friends _will_ find me, they will make sure me and Vivi, and all of the other omegas are safe. And that could include you Law…”

“I don’t have anywhere else to go after I leave here…no where that I would be safe anyways. I doubt my parents would want to take me back in. So even if I got out of here safely…”

“You could stay with us! At our future pack house.”

“Sanji-ya, you can’t decide that without the rest of your pack. Considering I was involved with Doflamingo, even if it was against my will, I doubt they will be able to look past that so easily…”

“But once they meet you and hear your story, I just know they will feel the same way I do. Please at least consider it. You don’t have to give me an answer right now…but when my friends show up, at least keep an open mind about it. Please, at least give me that?”

Law sighed, shaking his head. As badly as he wanted to get out of here, and be as far away from Doflamingo as possible, he couldn’t possibly ask that of Sanji and his friends, and put that burden on them. He didn’t even know them! But the look Sanji was giving him right now…he also couldn’t completely shut the other omega down.

“Okay…I’ll keep an open mind.” He said, trying his best to smile. He wouldn’t allow Sanji to risk so much for him, but for the time being, he could at least play along. He was sure he would be able to find a solution on his own…one day…hopefully. 

“Great!” Sanji beamed, almost forgetting the horrible predicament he and the others were still in. The idea that he could get out of there, and bring his new friend with him, gave him a new sense of purpose. The older omega knew exactly what he was going through, and maybe it was selfish of him, but he wanted to always have that person in his life.

“As much as I don’t want to have to say this, you will have to go back now. I just got a text from Senor Pink outside, and he is getting impatient…” Law muttered, hating that he had to do this. But he couldn’t make an excuse to keep the younger omega here, at least not with out alerting the others that something was wrong. And the absolute worst thing that could happen was if Doflamingo found out that the ‘new shiny male omega’ he had gotten a hold of was pregnant. He shuttered to think what would happen then. “But Sanji, listen to me, whatever you do, don’t tell ANYONE that you are pregnant. Not even the other omegas.”

“But why? One of the omegas in the cage next to mine is a good friend. In fact she is a future pack mate of mine. I trust her with everything…”

“I understand that. But unlike my office, which I know for a fact isn’t bugged, I can’t say the same for the rooms you’re being held in. I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t put it past Doflamingo to be keeping an eye on all of you. So no matter what, don’t say it out loud, the consequences could be deadly…in fact, watch what you say in general. Don’t mention anything about your friends, and how you think they will come. Promise me you will watch what you say, Sanji-ya.”

“O-okay. I promise.” Sanji said hesitantly. He hated the idea of keeping something as big as this from Vivi, but if Law was right, and there was even chance that anyone was listening, then it only made sense. 

“Keep yourself and that baby safe,” Law said, sadness shining in his eyes as he forced himself to knock on the door, indicating to the alpha waiting outside to that he was finished. 

“Right…” Sanji muttered, staring down at his flat stomach, still not quite able to believe that there could be something growing inside of there. In his mind he was a man, and this was impossible…though getting to know Law and seeing him so much further along in his pregnancy, he was slowly starting to accept the reality.

“About damn time…” The alpha muttered, clearly aggravated for being kept waiting so long. He unlocked the cuffs, dragging the blonde omega along with him. Sanji was able to meet Law’s eyes once more. Trying to silently communicate with him, to let him know that everything would be okay, some how, and that they would both make it out of there. 

_Zoro, Luffy…_ he thought, as he was led back to his cage. _I need you now, so much more then I could’ve realized…so does Vivi, so does Law, so do our pups. Please hurry…please…_

…

“What’s got you so upset?” A voice full of fake kindness spoke, causing a horrible chill to run down the omega doctor’s spine. 

“Nothing, Doflamingo-sama…” Law muttered through clenched teeth, trying to keep his tone as venom free as he could, a task that was becoming harder and harder with each passing day.

“I sure hope not…but a couple of little birdies have told me that the male omega we brought in last night has come to see you not once, but twice. I do hope everything is okay.” The voice was so close to him now, that he could feel the warmth of his breath against his skin. He wanted to jerk away from the presence, and get as far away from it as possible, but remained where he was, with every ounce of willpower that he possessed. 

“He was just a little ill from the gas Caesar gave him, but I believe he will be fine. Though I do recommend keeping him nearby for the time being, so I can keep an eye on his current state, just in case.” He hadn’t had time to prepare a proper lie, and just prayed that this would work. Caesar, like him, was an outsider, so hopefully his word didn’t hold any more weight than his own.

“Is that so…I will keep that in mind,” Doflamingo purred, his lips ghosting ever so gently against his neck. The contact enraged him, but he kept silent once again…though he wasn’t able to stop the single tear that slid down his face. “I think it’s time I go meet this newest batch of omegas…” He hummed to himself, as he made his way out of the room.

Law wanted to stop him, and tell him that he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t bring himself to move. His baby had been restlessly flipping within him, sensing his fear, and that was enough of a reminder to not take any foolish risks. He just prayed to whatever God there was, assuming there was one, that Sanji kept his mouth shut and didn’t say or do anything stupid. 

_Your friends are coming for you Sanji-ya…please stay in one piece until then…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Law's story…I know most of you were hoping it was Rosinante who was the father, and I couldn't think of making it anyone else. After everything else that Law went through, the last thing I wanted was to have him raped and impregnated by Doflamingo. But I am sorry if anyone is upset about Rosinante being dead. Even though it is sad for poor Law, it was the plan from the beginning to have it turn out this way. 
> 
> Anyway, I would love to hear any thoughts you might have after this. Was this what you predicted? Are you happy/upset with how it turned out? Do you have any new theories now that this was revealed? Let me know! I am always happy to hear what you have to say!
> 
> I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, I won't make any promises, but with midterms coming up, hopefully I will still be able to get it out within a week. The next chapter will be about the others finally going over their plan, as well as Doflamingo finally meeting Sanji. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! :D <33


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Here is the next chapter, as promised!
> 
> Thank you to those who commented on the last chapter. I appreciate it!
> 
> I didn't think I would have this chapter ready until tomorrow, but I really wanted to get it up today. I don't know if any of you noticed, but today is actually the one year anniversary from when I first posted this story! It is actually hard to believe that it has been a whole year since I started working on this. A part of me wishes we were further along in the story by now, but a part of me is also really happy and proud of the progress made! I honestly never thought this story would be as well received as it was, and I am completely thrilled that so many people seem to be enjoying it. 
> 
> Thank you all for your continued support, and I really hope you enjoy todays update!

“Thank you all for coming.” Tashigi said, addressing the room that was now packed full of various individuals, including representatives from both the Whitebeard and Red-haired Shank’s packs. Everyone waited silently for her to continue; knowing whatever she was about to say would significantly impact them all. They all knew why they were here, and they were all willing to do whatever it took. “I’ve thought over the various options we have over and over again, and keep coming back to one plan in particular. The more I think about it, the more I believe it is the only real option we have. And that is to start a full scale pack battle.”

The room erupted in hushed conversations the moment the words left her mouth, no one expecting that suggestion…especially considering that despite her assignment to take whatever means necessary, she was still a police officer first and for most, so a full scale pack battle seemed highly unorthodox. 

“I imagine you have your reasoning for this…” Whitebeard finally spoke, once the shock in the room died down. Tashigi was an important contact for him and his pack, so he was inclined to trust her opinion, but even to him, the suggestion seemed extreme. 

A pack battle occurred when at least one or more packs formally challenged another. They didn’t occur often nowadays, considering they were made illegal decades ago after several pack battles turned into all out wars that left thousands of innocent civilians dead. But that didn’t stop them from happening completely. And when they did occur, more often then not, the police wouldn’t interfere, as long as nothing got out of hand. If innocent people outside of the two packs weren’t affected, it was believed that whatever issues two packs had should be sorted out themselves…leaving the actual legality of them a grey area.

“Yes, I do…all the other plans I could think of required way too many risks, and far too much time. I realize this options also has massive risks, but it is by far the quickest option we have, and I am sure you all realize that time is of the essence. We can’t risk any of the omegas that are being held captive to be moved to another location. If that were to happen, it would reduce our chances of retrieving them drastically. With this plan we can make our move as early as this evening, not giving them any time to catch wind of this and possibly make a move of their own. We will hopefully be able to catch them off guard, and while their main forces are distracted, we will have a few individuals infiltrate the pack house, freeing the omegas, thereby achieving our main objective, as well as getting the evidence we need to bring formal charges against the entire pack. Any questions so far?” Tashigi asked, scanning the room for any signs of confusion.

“Why the pack battle though? Can’t the police force simply storm the pack house and find the evidence they need themselves?” Shanks asked, not having been present earlier when the alpha woman had explained.

“Given the influence of the Donquixote pack, it is virtually impossible to legally step foot on their property without a warrant, which can’t be obtained without solid evidence. Even though our suspicions are strong, no judge in the city is willing to issue us a warrant out of fear of the consequences…”

“Have you considered simply beating one up until they give us one?” Shanks asked, no signs in his voice that could suggest he was joking.

“That’s what I said!” Luffy shouted, throwing his hands up dramatically.

“Umm…as I mentioned to Luffy earlier, even though I have permission to take alternate means, I still can’t do anything overtly illegal…suggesting a pack battle is already pushing it.”

“I understand.” Shanks hummed, taking a moment to absorb that information before continuing. “What if we just _threatened_ to beat one up until they gave us the warrant?”

“Oooooh…I think I get it now.” Tashigi sighed, looking between Red-haired Shanks and Luffy. She had been confused before about Luffy’s personality, considering who his father and grandfather were, but it was all starting to make sense now…

“Stop being an idiot Red-hair, and let her continue.” Whitebeard barked, receiving a thankful nod from the female alpha. 

“Alright,” Tashigi continued, ignoring Luffy and Shanks who were now pouting, “So as I was saying. There’s nothing I can do about the warrant, which means no large-scale police operation can take place. However if we are able to get someone in there to free the omegas, we can obtain the evidence we need. And if we were able to do that, it would be hard for them to successfully argue trespassing or any other legal out they might try to take, considering the severity of the charges they would be facing. So despite the risk, this is the most ‘legal’ way I can think of doing this. But it would be suicide to send anyone into the pack house to try and gather the evidence without a proper distraction. They would be discovered far too easily, and likely killed before any back up could reach them. But, if the majority of the pack was outside of the house engaging in a pack battle...” She trailed off, receiving nods of understanding from everyone in the room…well, almost everyone.

“I don’t get it.” Luffy declared, “But if I get to kick that flamingo guy’s ass, then I’m on board!”

“Actually, you and your friends wouldn’t be involved in the pack battle.” Tashigi said, quickly continuing before he or Zoro could say anything, both looking like they were about to argue. “I won’t make such a young, small pack targets for potential revenge. You can’t forget the fact that the Donquixote pack has ties to the Kaido pack, and if they heard some small time pack was involved in taking down their allies, you and everyone you care about could be at risk. But if they hear that it was not only one, but two of the other great packs that took them down, then they will be far less likely to retaliate. Not even Kaido would risk starting a war with Whitebeard _and_ Red-haired Shanks as his enemy.”

“That makes complete sense.” Whitebeard agreed. “He likely wouldn’t hesitate if it was just one of our packs involved, but once he hears it was both, he will back down.”

“The only way he would risk it is if he teamed up with Big Mom, and those two loath each other far too much to ever consider an alliance.” Shanks added, thinking out loud.

“That was exactly my thought.” Tashigi nodded, praying that both head alphas would agree. The entire thing would fall apart if either refused.

“I’m in.” Whitebeard said without hesitation. He would of course give everyone in his pack the option whether they wanted to join in the battle or not, but knowing his sons and daughters, he doubted anyone would opt out. Though no one in his pack was currently an omega, they were all outraged about what was happening nonetheless. Especially those of his children that were currently courting omegas, some of whom would likely join the pack themselves one day.

“I’m in as well.” Shanks added right after. All the omegas in his pack were already bonded, so none of them had been at risk, but the current situation had still affected them. Makino in particular had been visibly shaken, her omega and maternal instincts having kicked into overdrive. He hated seeing his mate so upset, and would do anything to put her mind back at ease. Not only that, but Luffy was also effected by this, and he would go to the ends of the earth for that boy…not that he would tell him that. Might go to his head.

“Excellent!” Tashigi beamed, her heart racing in anticipation. She had been worried about the alternate options they would have to consider if either refused, none of them very appealing. “We can make our move as soon as the sun sets, so we draw slightly less attention.”

“Now hold on!” Luffy shouted, standing up, clearly irritated. “If you think me and my friends are going to sit back and do nothing, you’re insane! Two of our future pack mates are in there, and I’m going to fight to get them back no matter what!”

“My mate is in there, and he could be pregnant, there is no way you are stopping me from being apart of this either!” Zoro said, speaking for the first time since the meeting began. He had been trying to keep a low profile after the problems he caused because of his rage, but he couldn’t keep his mouth shut about this. Sanji needed him, and he would do anything to get him back…he hoped no one mentioned the ‘my mate’ comment to him once they got him back, he would totally kick his ass for that. 

“You didn’t let me finish,” Tashigi said, seeing all of the other members of that pack about to argue as well. “I said I didn’t want you involved in the main pack battle, because I want to keep your names out of it when word gets back to Kaido. But that being said, someone still has to help me infiltrate the pack house once the battle begins. Which could end up being the riskiest part of all…we have no way of knowing how many members they actually have. And even if we are able to draw most of them out, there are sure to be some that remain behind to keep guard of the omegas, meaning a fight is likely inevitable for any of those who come in with me. I hate having to ask this of you…”

“Let’s go!!” Luffy cheered, jumping back up again, any signs of irritation long gone. 

“You didn’t let me finish…” Tashigi tried again, but it seemed the young head alpha’s limited attention span had finally expired. He was far too fired up to listen; she would have to go over the rest of the details with another member of that pack before they left in a few hours. 

Despite the risk they were about to take, she couldn’t help but smile seeing the enthusiasm from several individuals around the room. It was finally about to happen. She just hoped that everything went according to plan, and they were able to get all of the omegas out without harm coming to any of them. 

_Please watch over us,_ she silently prayed to the family she lost. Knowing they would need all the help they could get.

…

“So what did the doctor say this time? Why did he want to see you again?” Vivi asked once the alpha that brought Sanji back left the room. She had tried to remain positive, but couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was going on…that Sanji was keeping something from her. The idea that something could be terribly wrong with her friend, terrified her.

“He ran a few tests and just confirmed that my symptoms were actually side effects of the gas. But it has mostly left my system now, so I should be fine.” He lied, hating that he had to do so, but remembered Law’s words. He couldn’t risk the room being bugged and Doflamingo or his men finding out his actual condition…which he still couldn’t fully believe himself. The idea was just too insane for him to properly comprehend, at least not right now, given their current situation.

“So it was the gas after all…” Vivi hummed, examining her friend and his expression, trying to decide if the fact that it was the gas was what he had been hiding from her earlier. But there was no way that that was it. There was something in his expression…a fear hidden there. There was no way that he was fine like he claimed to be. Either the effects of the gas were more serious than he was letting on, or it was something else entirely. She wanted to press him for more information, but stopped herself. There was something else she could see, a pleading in his eyes, as if he was begging her not to ask any more questions. She sighed, not liking having to let it go, but until they got out of there, she would drop it, for Sanji’s sake. “I’m glad you will be alright.”

“Me too.” Sanji responded, relieved that she didn’t press the issue. This whole thing was hard enough without having to convince his friend of a lie. Though the more he thought about it, the more he realized telling the truth wasn’t going to be any easier…he was 17 years old, he was male, and he was pregnant. How was he supposed to tell his friends that? How was he supposed to tell Zeff that? Holy shit! How was he supposed to tell _Zoro_ that?! 

“Are you sure your okay? You’re starting to look a little sick again.”

“Y-yeah,” he stuttered out, trying to laugh it off, wincing at how forced it sounded. He couldn’t afford to think about Zoro right now, and how he might react to the news. It would only continue to distract and upset him, and right now he needed to be as alert as possible. He needed to be able to think on his feet and react at a moments notice…and if the Marimo kept clouding his mind, he wouldn’t be able to do that.

“If your sure…” Vivi began, but stopped speaking when she heard the door to the room being slowly opened. All the omegas froze, tensing up as an unfamiliar alpha’s scent began wafting into the room. But there was something different about this scent…something far more intimidating then the scent of any of the other alphas that had come in to check on them before. It was far more powerful and overwhelming. It even caused a few of the omegas that were in the room to start whimpering. 

This wasn’t good…there was only one person this could possibly be. Sanji had been hoping that they would get out of there before they had to meet this man, but it seemed their luck just ran out. A sudden urge hit him to wrap his arms around his abdomen, but he pushed that instinct away. He couldn’t risk drawing any unnecessary attention to his situation.

An insanely tall, blonde, alpha male walked into the room, wearing the tackiest, flashiest, clothes possible. He was wearing flats, pink capri pants, a white shirt that was left open exposing his toned abdomen, and the biggest pink feather coat he had ever seen (well, not that he had seen many pink feather coats…). The man looked like Liberace on steroids or something. Certainly not what he was expecting the leader of one of the most notorious packs in the city to look like. But still, despite his ‘fruity’ appearance, there was something extremely intimidating about him, something that caused a chill of fear to rush down his spine. He supposed one could wear whatever they wanted if they were still able to have that effect on people.

“Hello my darlings, I do apologize for taking so long to come and properly introduce myself.” He practically sang, as he walked around the room, examining everyone in the cages. His eyes lingered on Sanji far longer than any of the others, causing another chill to run down Sanji’s spine. “I am your host, Donquixote Doflamingo, pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

His name had an instant effect on the omegas, all of them admitting a terrified scent. Even Vivi hadn’t been expecting that, and he could see her tremble ever so slightly in fear, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by Doflamingo either.

“Now, don’t be scared my darling,” the alpha chuckled, walking right up to Vivi’s cage, before crouching before it. He stuck his hand through the bars, caressing the blue-haired girls cheek. “Such a lovely, high-bred, omega as yourself shouldn’t have such a look on your face.” Vivi tried to recoil from the touch, but Doflamingo’s arm was too long, and he could reach her no matter how far back she moved. She hated that this man was having this effect on her, but she couldn’t help but be terrified. In fact, she wasn’t sure if she had ever been this scared in her life. There was something so sinister about this man, that she couldn’t help the whimper that left her lips.

That sound caused something to snap in Sanji, his protective instincts taking over.

“Don’t touch her!” He shouted, instantly earning him the attention of the man he should be trying to avoid at all costs. He had promised Law he wouldn’t do anything stupid that could put himself or his child at risk…but once he heard someone so dear to him in distress, he couldn’t hold back. 

“Awww, don’t worry, I wasn’t going to harm her. I would never risk damaging a specimen that is sure to fetch me such a high price.” He sang happily, but pulled his hand away, moving over to his cage. “But no one is going to fetch me a higher price than you my dear boy.” He laughed, causing Sanji to shiver involuntarily. Even though sunglasses hid his eyes, he could feel them boring into him, causing a disgusting feeling to spread inside of him. 

So that was their plan for them after all, they were going to auction them off to the highest bidder. Not that that surprised him, he had assumed it was something like that, but having it confirmed certainly didn’t make the situation any better.

“You would be surprised by the number of old, rich, gay alphas that are desperate for a male omega play thing. But unfortunately you lot are so hard to come by…it’s such a pity, I could make a killing if I could only get a hold of more of you.” The alpha pouted, causing irritation to bubble up inside him. He stayed silent though, and tried to keep his face neutral, but it seemed his scent gave him away any way. Doflamingo laughed, reaching into his cage and stroking his cheek just like he had done to Vivi, and just like Vivi, there was nowhere he could move to avoid the touch. He had to resist the urge to slap his hand away, knowing that wouldn’t help his current situation…but it was hard. It felt as though his skin was burning underneath the touch, and he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to scrub away that disgusting feeling.

“Don’t be angry little lamb, I only meant it as a compliment! You are a rare, unique specimen, which I find very interesting. How I wish I had more of you…” He sighed, almost longingly, “I almost wish I could keep you myself, but unfortunately I already have a buyer lined up, and they have been waiting a _long_ time to get a hold of someone like you. And let’s just say they’re someone whose bad side I would never want to be on. I was getting a little nervous there for a while; I almost thought I was going to have to go with my back up plan and give away my sweet little doctor…but having to rip that pup out of him would’ve been a nasty task.”

Sanji froze, feeling his blood run cold. He knew this man was sick, but how could he even suggest doing something like that, especially to his own niece or nephew. Did the man have no heart at all?

“Not that he is going to get to keep that pup of his anyway…but it’s so cute watching the way he cares for that thing. It will make taking it away from him so much more satisfying. Hopefully he doesn’t lose his mind though…he won’t be fun to play with anymore if that happens.”

Holy shit…this man was insane. How could he talk about doing such a horrible things, with such a large smile on his face? He was clearly a psychopath. And did Law know that Doflamingo had no intention of letting him keep his child? The need to get Law out of there as well became so much more dire…there was no way in hell he was going to leave without him now, even if he had to force the other omega to accept his help. The idea of Law’s child being ripped away from him made him sick to his stomach, and it took every ounce of self control not to throw up…the last thing he needed was to raise his suspicion that he was in the same situation. He understood now why Law stressed the importance of keeping his pregnancy a secret. If Doflamingo found out, his child would be removed from him so he could be sold…another wave of nausea washed over him at the thought.

“You don’t look so good my precious meal ticket, I do hope you are alright. My little doctor informed me about the reaction you had to the gas…even though the gas was highly tested, and not a single other omega reacted to it. How unfortunate that you were the only one.”

Sanji froze at his words, feeling a horrible sense of dread come over him. The way he said those words, it was as if he already knew somehow…but that was impossible, wasn’t it? There is no way he could tell by looking at him, and he knew for a fact that Law wouldn’t have said anything…so why was he looking at him like that?

“I’m fine.” He spoke, hating the way his voice shook.

“I do hope for everyone involved that that is true. I would hate to find out my little doctor lied to me…” He purred, continuing to caress his cheek. Sanji became so frustrated and overwhelmed by the situation that he couldn’t stop the few angry tears that fell from his eyes. 

He hated this; he hated feeling so weak…his child was in danger. Law and his child were in danger. Vivi and all of the other omegas were in danger. And it was all because of this man standing before him, _touching_ him, yet there was absolutely nothing he could do. He had never felt so helpless in his life.

“Why are you crying, I hope it wasn’t something I said?” Doflamingo asked, his tone mocking, dripping in sarcasm. Every word he spoke caused Sanji’s humiliation and frustration to rise. He wanted to say something, he wanted to do something so damn bad, but he couldn’t forget about his child…even though he had just found out about it, and even though he might still not fully believe it to be true, he couldn’t stop the strong parental instincts that were already flaring up inside him, urging him to protect it, no matter the cost.

“Leave him alone!” Vivi snapped, obviously sensing his distress, but he really wished she hadn’t. He saw the flash of irritation on the alpha’s face, and instantly grew concerned what he might do to her as punishment. The alpha began retracting his hand, and Sanji panicked, doing the only thing he could think of to keep Vivi safe, and that was to keep his attention on him.

“I’m sorry Doflamingo-sama,” Sanji said, the words like acid on his tongue. But as hard as the words were to say, what was harder was grabbing the alphas hand, holding it in place against his cheek. “Please pardon my pitiful behavior. I must be an absolute mess to see. Please accept my sincerest apologies.”

Despite how hard that was, it seemed to have worked, the previous irritation that was on his face was now replaced with more sick amusement. 

“Don’t fret little lamb, you have my forgiveness. You will be making me a small fortune after all…” He cooed, running his hand through the omega’s unkempt blonde hair, enjoying the softness…it was such a shame that he had to get rid of this one. “But I do hope you stop crying and try and get a good nights sleep. You are being picked up first thing in the morning, and I want you looking your best.”

“W-what?” Sanji choked out. 

“First thing in the morning representatives of your new owner will be coming to pick you up. My little doctor recommended I keep you here for a while, but you said yourself that you feel fine…and I really don’t want to keep the one who bought you waiting longer than I have to. Though I will be sad to see you go.” He chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction his words received, not only from the blonde teen, but from all the others in the room as well. They were all so delightfully terrified…it was almost enough to get him off. He would definitely have to pay a visit to his mates after this…hopefully he would be able to remember the looks on all of their faces until then.

“Doflamingo-sama! We have a problem!” A new alpha spoke as he threw the door open and ran into the room. The action clearly pissed Doflamingo off, a growl ripping from his chest as he turned to stare down the one who dared disturb him.

“I told you not to bother me for any reason while I was in here!” He hissed, causing the other alpha to bow his head in submission.

“I’m s-sorry sir, but it’s an emergency. W-we need you r-right away!” The alpha stuttered out, so afraid that he looked about ready to pass out. Apparently Doflamingo had that affect on everybody…a fact that actually made Sanji feel a bit better.

“This better be good.” He barked, before turning back around and refocusing his attention on Sanji. “I’m sorry I have to cut this short my little lamb, try not to be too upset.” He said, before pulling Sanji’s hand toward him, giving it a long wet kiss before getting up, a disgusting smirk on his face as he turned and left the room. 

Sanji waited until Doflamingo’s scent was far enough away before he grabbed the empty bowl beside him, emptying the contents of his stomach within it. He couldn’t believe he was able to hold this back for so long, heaving again at the memory of his lips against his hand.

“Oh my God Sanji! Are you okay?!” Vivi cried, visibly shaken about everything that had just happened. As were all the other omegas in the room. But he didn’t have the energy right now to try and be strong and pretend everything was okay when it wasn’t. 

He felt disgusting, and violated. He felt even more violated than he had that night a group of alphas assaulted him in the alleyway. But that was nothing compared to the terror he felt learning that he was going to be sent away in the morning. If he was sent away it was even less likely he would ever be found. What would happen to him? What would happen to his baby? What would happen to Law and Vivi and all of the other omegas he was leaving behind?

“No Vivi, I’m not okay.” He finally wheezed out, after it became apparent that there was nothing left in his stomach to be emptied. It would take a miracle for them to be saved before the morning, and all he could do was helplessly sit back and pray for one. 

“You two stay here and guard the omegas! And you, gather every alpha and beta you can find and send them out front! We are being challenged to a pack battle!” A voice just outside the room yelled, causing Sanji’s breath to catch in his throat. 

A pack battle challenge…it couldn’t be, could it? All of a sudden the undeniable fear he felt was replaced by the smallest glimmer of hope. Maybe he was going to get his miracle after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the climax of this arc begins!
> 
> Thank you everybody for reading, and I would love to hear what you thought! After my test tomorrow I should have a little more time to work on this, so hopefully I won't keep you waiting too long for more. Wish me luck! XD


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the wonderful comments! They made me very happy! And thank you for all of the well wishes for my exam, as I already mentioned to most of you I completely rocked it! XD
> 
> I probably would've gotten this chapter up sooner if it wasn't for the fact that I kept getting distracted binge reading manga, but it still hasn't been a week, so that's not too bad.
> 
> Thank you again, and I hope you will enjoy this chapter!!

“It looks like most of the pack is outside now, we should be good to go any min…where the hell did they go?!” Tashigi hissed, finding herself alone in the bushes, where the three of them had been hiding out moments ago. 

It had been decided that less was more when it came to those who would sneak into the house and search for the omegas. It would be too risky and obvious if 9 people were to go, so even though the rest of the pack was disappointed, they understood. But they also had no idea of knowing what they would be up against once they got inside, so she brought the two strongest with her. Unfortunately the two strongest were also the two stupidest and two most impatient…

“I told them to wait for my signal…those two idiots are going to get themselves killed.” She sighed, but there was nothing she could do about it now. She just hoped that they were as strong as they claimed to be. 

She took one last look over to the massive front yard, where the battle was currently being waged, before she crept out of the bushes and started to make her way over to the side of the house. She couldn’t help but get an awful feeling. Doflamingo wasn’t a hard person to miss, but she hadn’t seen him among his men in the battle. She just prayed that they found the omegas before he found them.

…

There was a lot of noise coming from outside. He could hear screams and growls…there was definitely some sort of pack battle going on. But who was out their fighting? As strong as his friends were there was no way they would be able to take on Doflamingo’s pack alone. The only explanation was Whitebeard must still be helping them out. The idea of which gave him more hope then he had since he was first taken. If one of the four great packs was involved, there was no way they could lose.

“What do you think is going on?” Vivi asked, snapping Sanji out of his thoughts. All the omegas in the room were looking to him for answers, fear written on all of their faces. 

“Someone must’ve challenged Doflamingo’s pack to a battle. And if I had to guess I would say that it’s probably to cause a diversion so that someone can sneak in here and save us.” Sanji said, a large smile spreading across his face as he spoke. The feeling of hope began bubbling inside him, all but replacing the disgusting feeling he had after Doflamingo had left.

“Someone’s really here to save us?” Conis asked, her voice shaking, tears welling in the corner of her eyes. There was so much hope in her voice, that despite not knowing for sure what was going on, he couldn’t bring himself to destroy it.

“Yes, I think so…no I’m sure of it. My future pack, they are here, I can feel it.” Sanji said, causing all of the other omegas to start weeping tears of joy.

“Are you sure about this Sanji? I know Luffy and the others are strong, but this is still Donquixote Doflamingo. He and his pack are one step below the four great packs. They can’t possibly win this.” Vivi whispered, so none of the other omegas heard her. Now that their hopes were so high, she didn’t want to risk crushing them either.

“With everything that happened I guess I forgot to tell you. After we found out you were missing, Luffy called his brother and asked for help from him and the Whitebeard pack. So there is no way they are doing this alone.”

“Wait a minute…you guys had Whitebeard on your side, and the only plan you could come up with was to go out _alone_ and get yourself kidnapped? There were no other options?” She deadpanned, giving him a very unimpressed look.

“Well, not at the time…I mean, we were going to discuss other options I guess…but I knew time was of the essence…and then that big green-haired idiot used his alpha voice on me forbidding me from doing it…and I was concerned! I, I…” Sanji rambled on, trying to justify himself, but couldn’t really come up with a solid argument. Admittedly it was a very stupid decision for him, especially now knowing he was pregnant, but at the time he hadn’t been thinking clearly. He allowed his emotions and instincts to protect his fellow omega to drive him. But despite how stupid it might have been, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. He wouldn’t have met Law if he hadn’t come, and even though they might have only known each other for mere hours, he already felt a strong connection with him. Law understood him in a way that nobody else could, and it was such a comforting feeling to have.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be so judgmental…you know, considering I did the same thing.” Vivi sighed, casting her eyes downward. “Instead of coming to you and the pack for help, I thought I could somehow manage it on my own. I just wanted to help my school friends, but I also wanted to keep all of you safe and didn’t want to involve you in this. But because of that, you and everybody else is in even more danger then you would’ve been if I just came to you first! I’m such an idiot.”

“Vivi my darling, I would never call you an idiot for caring so much.” He cooed, receiving an eye-roll from the blue haired girl.

“Thanks Sanji.” She smiled. “Though I still think you’re an idiot for caring so much...”

“Hey!” Sanji pouted, trying to think of something else to say, when a few snarls, and loud bangs could be heard just outside the door. There was a new scent of an alpha faintly in the air, it smelt almost familiar, but not quite…but if it wasn’t _him_ then who could it be?

Whatever altercation that was going on outside the door came to an end, and eerie silence now filled the room. Everybody held their breath as the door opened, waiting to find out just who would appear on the other side.

A sight nobody had been expecting met their eyes as a fairly tall, athletically built, blue haired woman walked into the room. It took everybody, Sanji included; a moment to realize that the strong alpha scent that was currently in the air was coming from her. 

“Is everybody all right?” She asked, examining all the omegas in the cages. She let out a sigh of relief when it appeared none of them looked physically harmed. Though she was sure it was a different story when it came to psychological and emotional harm. “I am detective Tashigi, I’m here to help all of you.”

Once again, tears of joy were wept at her words, a wave of overjoyed scent filling up the room.

The only one not celebrating was Sanji, who was still in shock about seeing the female alpha, especially when he had been expecting somebody very different to walk through those doors. Where were they? Had something happened to them? They weren’t really out fighting in the pack battle, were they?

“You must be Sanji.” The woman said, unlocking his cage. Sanji jolted in surprise, having zoned out momentarily. Being so close, he could get a proper look at the woman before him. She was young, a lot younger then he would’ve thought. She looked maybe 20, 21 at most. And she was absolutely gorgeous. She had flawless skin, very soft, kind features, yet she at an air of strength and intimidation about her. You could definitely tell she was an alpha once you really looked at her. And that scent, there was something annoyingly familiar about that scent…had he met her before? Surely he would’ve remembered such an encounter…

He was so lost in his thoughts that it took him a moment to realize what she had said. “Wait, how do you know my name?”

“I’m working with your pack, as well as Whitebeard and Red-haired Shanks to carry out this rescue mission. It would be pretty hard to forget your name, when you’re all a certain alpha has been talking about.”

He couldn’t help but blush at her words. There was only one person she could be talking about, and he was embarrassed to think what the Marimo had been saying. But for some reason he also felt a warmth inside him at the thought but tried to push the feeling away. If he found out the idiot said anything embarrassing, he would have to add this to the growing list of things he would have to kick his ass for later. Number 1 being the alpha voice incident, and Number 2 being the fact that he had knocked him up. 

“Where are they? Are they fighting in the battle?” He asked with concern, once he composed himself, and crawled out of the cage. He felt better knowing that not only was Whitebeard fighting, but apparently so was Red-haired Shanks…though that didn’t erase his worry completely.

“No. Most of your friends are back at the pack house, only Luffy and Zoro came with me to find you guys. Though where they ended up…your guess is as good as mine.”

Sanji had to resist the urge to face palm. The two of them went off on their own…of course they did. And considering the maze-like layout of this house and that Zoro was involved…he might never see the Marimo again.

“Now, everybody stick close to me. We are going to go free the rest of the omegas, and then we are going to get out of here as quickly as we can. I’m not sure how much longer the pack battle will be going on, so it’s not in our best interest to linger here. And whatever you do, don’t wander off. I need to be able to protect you as a group. Alright?” Tashigi spoke once all the omegas in the room had been freed. Everybody nodded in understanding, sticking close together as they made their way to the next room.

“She’s amazing, isn’t she? I’ve never seen such a strong woman before.” Vivi whispered to him, standing so close that their shoulders were touching, as if she was afraid he would disappear.

“Yeah, she is definitely something. Certainly more useful then those other two idiots…” He joked, but Vivi didn’t miss the hints of concern lingering under the surface of his words. She chose not to say anything, knowing he would only deny it.

The alpha woman opened the next door, making sure the coast was clear before ushering the 10 omegas present inside. But just before he entered the room another thought occurred to him, one he couldn’t believe he almost forgot in all the commotion. 

“Detective Tashigi, there is another omega in the house somewhere. His name is Law, he was forcedly working as a doctor here. He’s also pregnant and I’m afraid in terrible danger.”

“I see…” She hummed, taking in the new information. This rescue mission had been hard enough as it was, without throwing in a new obstacle. “I understand. But right now it is my priority to get you all to safety. I can’t be aimlessly wandering around this place looking for someone with nearly 50 omegas in toe, it’s impossible. But I promise once everybody is safe I will do everything I can to return and…”

“No! It could be too late by then! Especially if I leave, then that sick fuck will need a new male omega to sell in my place! He already said he was willing to rip his child out of him if he needed to. I won’t allow that to happen!” Sanji almost couldn’t believe how loud he was yelling at such a beautiful woman, one he had just met no less, but he couldn’t help himself…not when it came to this.

“I understand your concern, but you have to understand how much of a risk it would be for me to try and lead you all around this house. And I couldn’t very well send you off to escape on your own while I looked, that is way too risky as well. I’m really sorry, but my only option is to get everybody out of here first and then try and come back for him.”

“No, I can’t accept that. If you can’t look for him right now, then I will.” Sanji said firmly, already turning to leave, when a hand grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

“Sanji, you can’t be serious!” Vivi cried, her grip on his arm tightening. “That is way too dangerous! Especially for someone you barely even know! You could get yourself killed! And you promised…you promised you wouldn’t leave me!” Vivi cursed under her breath as tears began spilling from her eyes. She didn’t think she had cried more in her entire life then she had in these last two days, and she hated that it made her feel so weak, so vulnerable…especially in front of the strong alpha woman. 

“Your friend is right. That is far too dangerous. Especially in your…” She was cut off, before she could finish her sentence.

“I know it’s a risk, but I don’t care. He needs help. He and his child are all but dead if they stay here. I know I just met him but he’s a friend, and I won’t leave a friend behind like that.”

“But, you promised…”

“I know, I’m sorry. But I can’t just leave him, not when I understand his situation so well.” Sanji sighed, his hand brushing against his still flat abdomen. It still didn’t seem real, but at the same time he felt so fiercely protective of it already…just like he felt protective of Law and the child growing within him as well. He couldn’t leave them to whatever fate waited for them. He refused.

Before either woman could try and talk him out of it anymore, he yanked his arms back, and made a beeline towards the stairs, disappearing out of sight before either woman could react.

“Sanji!!” Vivi shouted, about to take off after him when the alpha woman grabbed her, stopping her in her tracks. “Please, I have to go with him! I have to make sure he is all right! He has been so sick and seemed so weak since he got here…I’m afraid he won’t be able to fight like he usually would be able to.”

“The worst thing you could do for him right now is follow him.” She said, realizing it came out slightly harsher than she meant it when she saw the young omega flinch. She tried her best to soften her voice before she continued. “If you were to follow him, then you would be splitting his focus again. He would feel like he had to watch out for you as well as himself, and the other omega he is looking for. Not to imply you would need looking out for, I’m sure you’re a strong woman who is capable of handling herself. I can see it in the way that you have managed to stay relatively calm compared to the others.” Vivi felt her face heat up at her words. “I really need your help freeing the rest of the omegas, and trying to keep them as calm as possible. What do you say? Will you please help me?” She asked, hoping she convinced her to stay. This rescue mission was slowly starting to fall apart and she couldn’t afford to lose any of the other omegas. Plus, she wasn’t necessarily lying, there was something slightly different about this girl compared to the others. She had a strength about her that the others lacked.

Vivi hesitated, staring in the direction Sanji had run off in. A part of her still wanted to follow him, but the more intelligent part of her was saying that the alpha woman was right. The worse thing she could do was run off after him now, especially with his scent being lost amongst all the other omegas that were around. She would be putting herself and Sanji at risk, and she refused to make anymore foolish decisions that could hurt the ones she cared for.

“Alright, you can count on me.” Vivi declared with confidence, wiping away any traces of tears that had remained on her face. She wanted to prove to the alpha woman that her words were true, and that she could be of help.

“Thank you.” Tashigi smiled, handing the younger woman the keys. She took one last look in the direction the blonde omega took off in, before following the omegas in to the next room, silently praying to herself. She prayed that he stayed safe, and that he found the friend he was looking for. And she also prayed that one of those two wandering morons found him before any one else did.

…

Sanji tried his best to remember his way to the infirmary, figuring it was the best place to start his search, but found himself hopelessly lost within minutes. Seriously…how many hallways did this place have? And why the hell did it seem that none of them led anywhere? Did this place use to be some sort of weird circus fun house or something? Considering the group of weirdos that lived here, he wouldn’t be surprised…

“Hey you!” Came a loud, angry shout, startling Sanji out of his thoughts. At the end of the hallway that he was currently in, stood the tall lanky alpha that had dragged him to the infirmary the first time. He cursed his luck. Karma must be punishing him for that weirdos comment… “What are you doing out of your cage!”

“Just stretching my legs, and getting a little bit of exercise, nothing special…” He replied sarcastically without even thinking. His instincts and brain obviously hadn’t clued in to the seriousness of the situation. Standing before him was a large, strong, alpha. And as confident as he was in his abilities, he wasn’t sure if it came down to it that he would be able to win against the man in a fight. Especially not if he kept in mind the fact that he couldn’t go all out, not without risking his child’s safety. 

“What the hell did you just say? You mouthy piece of garbage.” The alpha hissed, closing the distance between the two of them quickly in a few short strides. “Don’t you forget your places, _omega_.” He spat out, grabbing Sanji’s wrist and squeezing it incredibly tight. 

He tried his best to pull his arm away, but the grip was just too tight. The alpha’s scent was so angry and overwhelming that he was almost becoming paralyzed in fear. He felt like his arm was seconds away from breaking, and there was nothing he could do.

Just as he considered submitting so he could preserve his arm, and possibly his life, he heard a loud smash followed by the sound of glass hitting the floor. The alpha froze, his grip on his arm loosening, before he fell backwards, completely unconscious. 

Sanji looked up in surprise to see Law, holding what was left of what had once been a pretty heavy looking vase. 

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to do that.” He said, still panting from the exertion of what just happened. He threw the remaining pieces to the ground, not even pretending like he wasn’t aiming directly at Diamante, before carefully stepping over the blood that was beginning to pool on the floor, making his way over to a very stunned Sanji. “Are you all right? What are you doing out here?”

“Do you think he’s dead?” Sanji blurted out, still staring in shock at the bleeding man. Sure he had seen his fair share of fights, being a part of quite a few of them himself, but he had never seen some one die before his eyes quite like that.

“No…maybe…probably…I don’t know. But that’s not important right now. Are you all right? What happened?” He repeated the question again, putting his hands on the blonde’s shoulders, slowly turning him around and away from the potential corpse as he spoke. 

“Right,” Sanji said, finally snapping back to reality, remembering what happened and why he was here. “I’m sure you heard the pack battle going on outside…well it’s all part of a plan to save all the omegas that were captured. I’m sure the last of them are being freed as we speak.”

“That’s great, I’m happy to hear that, but why aren’t you with them Sanji-ya? Why are you here alone?”

“I had to find you. You have to escape with us.” Sanji said firmly, hoping the other omega wouldn’t argue, but knew that he probably would anyway. He hadn’t known him long, but he already felt like he could read him fairly well.

“I told you that I didn’t want to put that burden on you guys…as long as Doflamingo is around, I will never be safe. As much as it kills me to be here, it seems like my only option for now...”

“Except it’s not. There are literally a million other options that would be better. I don’t think you realize what he plans to do if you stay here!” He argued, feeling slightly nauseous as he remembered Doflamingo’s words.

“What do you mean?” Law asked, seeing the other omega pale ever so slightly. What had that bastard said to the poor boy?

“He said that if I hadn’t come along to be sold, that he was going to abort your baby and sell you instead.” Sanji said, seeing the rightfully horrified look appear on the older omega’s face. “And he also mentioned that after you have your baby that he was going to take it away from you anyway. That he was never going to allow you to keep it.”

“What? That…that…that fucking piece of shit!” Law hissed once the reality of Sanji’s words sunk in. It wasn’t as if he had trusted Doflamingo, and believed that he genuinely wanted to be there for his brother’s child…but a part of him, a small, terribly naïve part, had thought that he was at least a decent enough human being that he would want to see his niece or nephew live…that he wouldn’t cause them any harm. But apparently he was an even sicker monster then he had thought.

“Agreed. But you have to realize now that you can’t stay here. I believe me and my friends could help you and keep you safe…though if you still insist that you don’t want to put that burden on us or whatever, there are other options too. I’m sure the police could put you in protective custody or something. But whatever happens, anything is better than staying here.”

Everything was happening so fast, that Law could barely keep up. It was so overwhelming, and he had no idea what the hell he was supposed to do. There would be risks no matter what, so which risks were the best risks to take?

His hand absently traveled to his rounded belly, giving it a few gentle strokes, which caused all confusion that was clouding his mind to suddenly disappear. It was so painfully obvious, that he was ashamed it took him so long to get to this decision. The risk worth taking was the one that best guaranteed his child’s safety.

“Alright, let’s go.” Law said, causing a wave of relief to come over Sanji. He had been so afraid that the older male would refuse, and he wasn’t sure what he would have done if that had happened.

“I pray you know your way out of this maze.”

“Of course. Memorizing the floor plan was one of the first things I did.” Law said, grabbing Sanji’s hand, beginning to lead him through the many twists and turns of the hallways. He decided to take the quickest, most direct path to an exit. Not even stopping to consider the various rooms they would have to pass through. The only thing he could think about was getting them out of there as soon as he could. 

They were half way through a large library, when a sickening scent caused both of them to freeze. This couldn’t be happening…shouldn’t he be fighting in the pack battle?

“Well, well, isn’t it my two favorite little lambs. So sweet of you to come and pay me a visit.” His voice held the same mocking, sarcastic tone that it had before, but instead of the underlying amusement that had been there earlier, there was an underlying venom, one that caused a chill to run down both of their spines.

Before they ended up paralyzed with fear, Law gripped Sanji’s hand tighter, pulling him quickly to the door on the other side of the room, opposite of Doflamingo, only to find with horror that it was locked. _Shit…_

“Awww, looks like there is nowhere to go, my poor, poor little lambs.” 

And in that moment, all either of them could do was stand paralyzed with fear, holding on to each other, as his sadistic laugh echoed throughout the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 0_0
> 
> Thoughts? Are you mad about the cliffhanger? I won't keep you waiting too long for more I promise!! In the meantime I would love to hear any questions, theories, thoughts, concerns, etc. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, and I will hopefully be hearing from you soon XD


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me an extra day then I originally predicted to get this chapter up! It took me longer than I thought to tweak it, not quite able to get it right. Hopefully it came out okay though!
> 
> Thank you everyone for the amazing response for the last chapter, I appreciate it so much! And I really hope you enjoy this next chapter as well! :D

“Dammit! I can’t smell Sanji anywhere! And why the hell are there so many damn hallways?” Zoro growled, getting more and more frustrated with each passing second. It felt like they had been wandering the house around for hours and had gotten absolutely nowhere. “What should we do Luffy?” He asked, turning around to the other alpha that was right behind him…or at least he had _thought_ he was right behind him. The younger teen was now nowhere in sight. Though his scent still lingered in the air, so it couldn’t have been very long since he had lost him.

“Some people just have the worst sense of directions.” Zoro sighed, trying to reevaluate what he should do now that he was alone. Should he continue looking for the omegas? Or should he track down Luffy, since his scent was still fresh? On the one hand he didn’t want to waste another second when it came to finding Sanji, but on the other hand, having Luffy there as back up incase something happened was always a good idea…

He was about to shrug is off and continue his search for the omegas, when he froze in place, a crippling sense of fear washing over him. It was so intense that it almost brought him down to his knees; he had to support himself against the wall to remain standing. It was so overwhelming and so unexpected that it could only mean one thing, and that realization horrified him.

“Sanji, what the hell is going on?” He panted out; the intensity of the fear having took his breath away. He didn’t even give a second thought as he took off down the hallway, all of a sudden feeling like a fog had been lifted from his mind and that the path was clear to him now. 

_Just hold on a little longer Sanji. I’m coming…_

…

“Aww, look at you two. You’re both trembling like a leaf. How incredibly adorable…” He drawled, taking a step closer to the omega duo, chuckling to himself when they took a step back. He could practically taste their fear, and God did it taste good. “Now I expected something like this from my little blonde lamb, after he found out his new owners were coming for him in the morning, but I’m heart broken to find you here my little doctor. Was I not taking good care of you? Didn’t I provide you with the best food, clothes, and medical equipment money could buy? And this is how you thank me?”

“Don’t act like you did that out of the kindness of your heart! D-don’t act like you didn’t plan to t-take my baby away f-from me!” He stuttered out, not able to stop his voice from trembling just like the rest of his body. _Shit! Pull it together Law! Don’t let that son of a bitch get the satisfaction of doing this to you!_

“Did the blonde tell you that? Do you really believe a complete stranger over me? The uncle of your child?” He cooed, taking another slow step forward.

“Of course I do. A-and you will never, ever, be an uncle to this child.”

“Come again.” Doflamingo snarled, his voice and aura visibly darkening at the older omega’s words. The smell he released into the room was so severe that it caused Sanji to whimper, burying his head into the crook of Law’s neck, trying to mask the smell as best he could. Law’s arms tightened around Sanji’s waist instinctively, pulling him even tighter against his own body. Right now Law was absolutely terrified as well, but his protective instincts telling him to keep his child, as well as the younger omega safe, were far stronger than his own fear.

“You heard what I said. I will never consider you this child’s uncle; in fact, as far as I am concerned you are dead to this child and to me. You will never come near them!” Law bit out, hating the way the alpha’s face twisted in amusement. How he wished he could forcibly remove that look from his face, in the most painful way possible.

“That is so adorable…” The alpha chuckled. “That you think you have a choice I mean...”

Doflamingo reached underneath his coat for something, both Sanji and Law’s eyes widening when they saw the gun and whip he pulled out. Some how the fact that he had a whip wasn’t all that surprising, he seemed like the type, but that didn’t make it any less terrifying…though that paled in comparison to the sheer terror the sight of the gun brought. Their lives could literally be over in a blink of an eye, and there wouldn’t be a single thing they could do to defend themselves. 

“W-what are you going to do?” Law said carefully, his eyes never leaving the gun in the alpha’s left hand. Both omegas flinching every time he moved it. Doflamingo smirked; he could definitely have fun with this.

“That all depends on you two, and what you decide to do or say next…now what were you saying before? About how I was dead to you? I’m not going to lie, that hurt my precious little doctor…all I want is what’s best for you and my precious little niece or nephew.” He sneered, waving the gun impatiently when Law seemed reluctant to speak.

“I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean that.” Law hissed through clenched teeth, the words feeling like poison on his tongue. He hated this, he hated this so much…but there wasn’t anything else he could do. He had to keep Doflamingo’s rage in check the best he could, that was his only option right now, that was the only way they were going to make it out of this alive. “You are of course my baby’s uncle. We would never have made it this far without you.”

“That’s better, my little doctor. That makes me so _happy_ to hear. Now why don’t you come over here and _apologize_ to me again? The _both_ of you.” He smirked, motioning the two omegas over to the couch he was currently standing next to…he was thoroughly going to enjoy this.

“What’s he going to make us do?” Sanji whispered, so only the other omega could hear him. He had a few disgusting theories, but considering who they were dealing with, he wouldn’t be surprised if it was much, much worse.

“I don’t know Sanji-ya. But I don’t want you to worry okay…I won’t let him touch you.” Law whispered back, squeezing the other omega even tighter.

“Don’t do anything stupid. You can’t risk your child’s safety.” Sanji pleaded, not liking the feeling he was getting from the older man.

“I’m getting awfully lonely over here.” The alpha sang, brandishing his weapons once more to amplify his point.

Law took a deep breath, giving the younger omega one last comforting squeeze before letting the blonde go. He took a few steps toward the alpha, when Sanji grabbed his arm to stop him. Whatever Law was about to do to try and satisfy that sick fuck, he couldn’t allow him to do it. 

“Look at you two. You both seem to care so much about each other, even though you just met. Isn’t that just the sweetest thing! Are you bonding so much because you’re both male omegas…or is it something even more than that?” The way he said it caused Sanji’s blood to freeze. Just like earlier, he was talking like he already knew his situation…but how?

“Like you never fail to mention, male omegas are very rare, so it’s only natural that we bonded over that fact.” Law said calmly, after he felt the way Sanji tensed up. There certainly seemed to be something more behind Doflamingo’s words…but how he even began to suspect that, he had no idea.

“Sooooo cute. My precious little lambs getting along so well. God, how I wish I could make you both mine. I know Baby-5 and Sugar would be just as excited…but alas, I still can’t risk keeping my client waiting. Such a pity…but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the time we still have together. So I will repeat myself, for the _last_ time, I want the _both_ of you over here right now.”

“Surely I would be enough.” Law tried, desperate at this point, but apparently that was the wrong answer. Doflamingo was done playing; the cat and mouse game was now over.

The alpha unfurled his whip, not quite ready to put his gun to use, at least not yet, but he couldn’t allow this sort disobedience to stand. Especially not when it came to a couple of omegas. He couldn’t allow such inferior beings to get away with this. If he couldn’t intimidate them in to obeying, then he would force them into it.

“Stop! Law!” Sanji cried, rushing back to the other omega’s side, his mind blanking on what to do, so his instincts took over. He stepped in front of the older man, intending to shield him from the incoming blow.

With his eyes squeezed shut, he heard the sickening sound of flesh ripping once the whip made contact, yet he felt no pain. He was in front of Law, so how could it possibly miss him? 

But wait…he had been so panicked that he hadn’t even noticed the new scent in the air. And he couldn’t help but sob in relief once he realized who it belonged to. It was _him_ , he was finally here.

“Z-Zoro,” he cried, opening his eyes to see the green-haired alpha’s back facing him and Law. He was now standing between them and the other alpha. He so badly wanted to reach out and touch him, just to make sure that this was real and not just his imagination playing tricks on him, but he held himself back, knowing now wasn’t the time for that.

“It will all be okay now. I promise.” Zoro said, his eyes never leaving the other alpha as he spoke. That is, if he even still had both of his eyes…he couldn’t see out of the left one at the moment, it was definitely damaged somewhat when that whip had hit him. He would have to wait until later to find out just how badly.

“And you are?” Doflamingo seethed, feeling his rage spiraling out of control. How _dare_ this young alpha undermine him in front of the omegas. He _would not_ allow that to stand. The little shit was as good as dead…

“Who I am doesn’t matter. You won’t be touching these omegas.” Zoro hissed, feeling his alpha instincts begin taking over. Sanji was scared, and he would do anything to protect him. Who the other omega was, he had no idea. But he was clearly pregnant, and clearly important to Sanji, if the blonde was willing to take a whipping for him. So for Sanji’s sake, he would do everything he could to protect the other man as well.

“You cocky barely presented piece of trash. I suppose you think you can stop me? Can you even see me out of those eyes?!” Doflamingo sneered, his rage taking over, slowly sending him into an almost feral like state. 

“Unfortunately I can still see your face, you sick son of a bitch.” Zoro growled, standing his ground. But the moment the other alpha moved, his instincts completely kicked in, and he rushed forward, meeting the older alpha in the middle of the room, a good distance away from the two omegas.

Zoro threw a left-hook, his fist smashing into the side of the other man’s face. The force of the blow caught Doflamingo off guard, causing him to stumble, dropping the whip he had been holding. He was able to steady himself quickly though, tasting blood in his mouth from the hit, causing him to absolutely lose it.

He rushed forward, intending to use the gun in his hand to smash the other alpha in the temple. But the green-haired kid was fast, and was able to block the blow with his arm. 

Every move he made, the kid seemed to have some sort of counter for it. He was obviously highly trained in some form of fighting, and even he could admit that his strength was surprising. But he was still young, innocent even, and he was way out of his league. He managed to push the younger alpha off of him. Raising his gun before he could make another move. He pointed it toward the two omegas, knowing it likely wouldn’t stop him if he had pointed it at the alpha himself. But now he stood frozen, rage darkening his expression as he desperately tried to think of what to do next.

“As fun as this as been, the game is now over. These two are mine, and I will teach you what happens when someone tries to get in my way!” Doflamingo seethed, turning his gun at the last second toward the alpha, not even hesitating as he pulled the trigger.

“ZORO!!!” The blonde omega screamed, as the young alpha fell to the ground.

This couldn’t be happening, this couldn’t be real! Why wasn’t Zoro getting up? Why wasn’t he moving?

Sanji felt his heart begin beating painfully against his chest, his lungs refusing to pull in the oxygen they needed, and his stomach feeling like it was about to empty any thing that was still left within it. It felt like the entire world was slipping away, and he needed to do something, anything, to stop it. So despite his earlier instincts to stay as far away from the danger as possible, he could no longer stop himself, and rushed across the room to the green-haired teen’s side. 

“Zoro,” he cried, getting down on his knees beside the other boy, “wake up, please.” He gently shook him, not wanting to aggravate his injuries. He felt absolutely desperate and helpless as he saw the blood leaking from his abdomen. And his eye, the sight of it caused his stomach to churn.

This was all because of him…if he hadn’t been so damn weak then none of this would’ve happened. If only he had been able to fight, if only his omega instincts weren’t so damn strong, if only he hadn’t begged Zoro to claim him during his heat than he wouldn’t feel so obligated to protect him now…no matter how he looked at it, this was all his fault. If something happened to Zoro, he would never be able to forgive himself.

Tears were now freely falling from his eyes, as he put his hand over Zoro’s wound, still aware enough, despite his distressed state, to try and stop the bleeding. 

“Get away from him.” Doflamingo growled, his demand directed at the blonde omega. But Sanji was so focused on Zoro, that he didn’t seem to hear it. “I SAID GET AWAY FROM HIM! GET OVER HERE NOW YOU OMEGA PIECE OF SHIT!”

The gun was once again raised, Law feeling his heart stop in his chest. No…he wouldn’t…he couldn’t…Sanji, Sanji was young…Sanji was with pup. He couldn’t kill him. He couldn’t! He had to do something, he had to stop him!

Without even thinking, he ran forward, grabbing the alpha’s arm, causing the shot he fired to completely miss its mark.

“Stay back!” Doflamingo snarled, baring his teeth to the omega, trying to force him to submit.

“No!” Law cried, not letting go of the alpha’s arm, despite every instinct in his body telling him to run. 

And with that, Doflamingo snapped. As much as he wanted to keep the game he had with the pregnant man going, he would not allow this blatant disrespect. Just like the young alpha, this tainted piece of garbage was as good as dead…

He threw the raven-haired omega off of him, causing him to fly a few feet in the air, before he hit the ground hard, with a loud, painful sounding thud.

Law hissed, feeling pain shoot up his entire left side. He didn’t think anything was broken, but he certainly was going to be heavily bruised after this. But that was a small sacrifice to make, considering he was able to land in away to keep his abdomen safe.

He slowly sat up only to freeze half way, seeing the gun now directed at him. His blood completely froze, his heart seemed to stop beating, and it was as if he had forgotten how to breathe. Was this really it? Had he really let Rosinante and their child down? Was that bastard really about to win?

“I’ve kept you alive this long because you were fun to play with. But with you trying to escape and you disobeying my authority…well I can’t let that stand, no matter who you are. This is such a damn waste, but you left me with no other choice. When you get to hell, say hello to my piece of shit brother for me, won’t you?”

Law squeezed his eyes shut, wrapping his arms protectively around his abdomen, though he knew in the end it wouldn’t matter. He and his child were about to die, and there was nothing he could do. _I’m so sorry baby, I’m so sorry. I wanted to meet you so badly, and see your beautiful face. But because of me, you won’t even get a chance to see this world. Please, please forgive me. At least…at least we will both be with daddy again._

The shot was fired, the loud sound echoing around the room, causing his ears to ring. This was it, he was dead. He waited for 1, 2, 3 seconds, but the darkness and pain he was expecting to envelope him never came. What the hell? Doflamingo had been so close to him, how could he have possibly missed? And what were those sounds and smells…it was almost like two alphas were fighting, but how? 

He slowly opened his eyes, to see a sight that confirmed what the sounds and smells had told him. A younger looking raven-haired alpha was now fighting with Doflamingo, and it looked like he was actually holding his own…no, it was more than that, the young alpha actually looked like he was winning. But how was that possible? Who was he? And why was he doing this?

Whoever he was, he just saved him and his child’s life, a fact that he would be eternally grateful for. He almost couldn’t believe it, tears of relief stinging his eyes, as he began to realize just how close he had been to losing everything. It felt like some sort of miracle, like he had just blessed with a second chance. 

He was about to completely break down, when the smell of an extremely distressed omega reached his nose, causing all the shock, relief and fear he had been feeling seconds ago to vanish. He could see Sanji on the other side of the room, cradling the bleeding green-haired alpha from earlier. Whoever this alpha was, was obviously very important to Sanji, likely even the father of his child. So despite the situation, and knowing it was probably safer to stay where he was, out of harms way, he was still a doctor. And he would do everything he could to make sure Sanji didn’t suffer the same crippling loss that he had.

He ignored the pain that was still radiating up his left side from his fall and got up, staying as far away from the fight as he could as he made his way around the room. From here the alpha’s injuries looked pretty bad, he just prayed that it wasn’t too late, and that there was something he could do.

…

“Huh? Zoro? Where the did you go?” Luffy shouted, receiving no response. He could’ve sworn that the other teen was right beside him... “What a moron!” He laughed; not seeming too bothered by his disappearance. If anyone could handle himself, it was Zoro, so he wasn’t too worried. His main objective was still finding Sanji and Vivi and getting them out of here as soon as he could.

He continued wandering around for a few minutes, when traces of many different scents began reaching his nose. There were dozens of them, and they were almost all omegas. He took off towards the source of the smells, a huge sense of relief washing over him when he found Tashigi and Vivi, leading a large group of omegas.

“Luffy!” Vivi cried, rushing forward to embrace the head alpha.

Luffy chuckled, picking the girl up and spinning her around a couple of times, before setting her back down. “Are you alright?”

“I am now. I’m so relieved to see you. Where’s Zoro? Did the two of you find Sanji?” She asked, desperately trying to look behind the young alpha, only to feel a stab of disappointment when she saw nothing. 

“What do you mean did we find Sanji? Isn’t he here with the rest of you?” The sense of relief that had overcome him earlier, was slowly disappearing as he scanned the large group of omegas, and confirmed that Sanji wasn’t among them.

“I’m sorry Luffy…he was with us earlier, but there was another omega he wanted to find. I tried to assure him I would come back for them once I got everyone out of here safe, but he wouldn’t listen. He ran off somewhere to look. I’m afraid I have no idea where he would be now.” 

“Alright…” Luffy said after a few moments. Trying his best to remain calm. Sanji may be pregnant, but he was still Sanji, and he was sure he would be all right. Besides, Zoro was still looking for him, and maybe with whatever connection they shared he found him by now.

Before he could think any further, the sound of a gunshot could be heard, causing several of the omegas to scream in panic. Tashigi instinctively pulled Vivi behind her, motioning for the other omegas to get down, as she drew her own weapon. It took her a moment to realize that the gunshot had come from quite a distance, and wasn’t likely an immediate threat to them.

“Get everyone out of here!” Luffy shouted, a feeling of dread sinking into his gut, as he took off in the direction the shot had come from.

“Luffy what are you doing! You could be killed!” Vivi cried, trying to run after the alpha, only to be stopped for a second time that night by the detective. 

“I’ll call for back up as soon as I can! Be careful!” She shouted after the retreating alpha, while trying her best to release a calming scent, to soothe the distraught girl in her arms. She couldn’t allow her to break now, otherwise the rest of the omegas might follow, which would make the task of getting them out of here nearly impossible. 

“It’s going to be alright,” she said gently, “Luffy might be a little on the impulsive side, but I’ve seen how strong he is, and how determined he is to get his friend’s back. I firmly believe that nothing is going to be able to stop him from accomplishing that.”

“Fighting is one thing…but a gun is another. I don’t know what any of us would do if something happened to him. I can’t even imagine what Nami would go through…”

“Just have faith in him. He is your head alpha after all. You should be able to trust him above all else.” Tashigi said, while gently stroking the blue-haired omega’s back, hoping that it was bringing some form of comfort. She smiled as she smelt the distressed scent from the girl begin to lessen.

This omega girl was really something else. After being kidnapped, locked in a cage, treated like an animal, and then seeing not one, but two of her friends run off towards danger, she was still able to compose herself quickly despite everything. She had such a strong will, and that was something Tashigi could greatly admire.

“Y-you can let go of me now, I think I’m okay.” Vivi whispered after a few moments, blushing furiously as she spoke. All of a sudden feeling very embarrassed being in such close proximity to the alpha woman.

“Oh, right, sorry.” Tashigi said, quickly letting go of the omega girl, having to hide her own embarrassment. “Shall we get out of here?” She asked, after taking a few moments to compose herself.

“Yes please.” Vivi answered, her and all of the other omegas following the alpha woman to safety. While they walked, Vivi had to pretend that she didn’t hear the second or third gun shot, not wanting to think what they could possibly mean.

…

_Please let everyone be okay. Please let me make it there in time._ Luffy thought frantically, as he continued running through the hallways. 

A second shot sounded, causing that feeling of dread within him to multiply. This couldn’t be happening, it just couldn’t. 

After a few more twist and turns, two familiar scents and two unfamiliar scents reached him, spurring him forward. He was easily able to break down the door that was blocking his path, as if it wasn’t even there. Once the room was revealed to him, two scenes met him at once, both absolutely horrifying.

On one side of the room was Sanji, sobbing uncontrollably as he held Zoro’s bloody body. The sight of which caused his heart to speed up, a sense of rage overwhelming him. His eyes snapped to the other side of the room where an alpha was holding a gun, aiming it at an obviously pregnant omega. 

This man must’ve been the one to hurt Zoro, his friend, his pack mate, the alpha he considered to be his second in command. This man was also about to kill a pregnant, defenseless omega. He didn’t care who this man was…this man would pay.

With that, he allowed the blinding rage he felt to take over, not even caring that he was about to lose complete control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So be honest…who wants to kill me a little bit right now? 
> 
> Was this even close to what you were expecting? I would love to hear any thoughts! 
> 
> I'm sorry for the constant cliff hangers (this probably being the worst one yet) but I promise not to keep you waiting too long for more!
> 
> In the meantime I hope you enjoyed the chapter despite some of the things that happened. Have a good weekend everyone, and hopefully I will be talking with you soon! :D <3


	29. AUTHOR NOTE

I'll start off by saying I'm sorry to all of you who have been anxiously waiting for the next chapter. I also apologize if you saw this was updated and got excited, only to be disappointed now, but I felt that I needed to explain the lack of updates the last few weeks and the probable lack of updates for the next few weeks.

So basically two weeks ago I was at my sister's having lunch, and she was also helping me spruce up my resume. I bit into something with onions in it (I hate onions) and I reached for my water in a panic...I ended up missing the mark and knocked my water right on to my laptop...the screen went black immediately, and despite our best efforts to save it, I knew it was a goner. (I blame my sister for feeding me onions, lol) But seriously, it was quite upsetting to me. That laptop had been with me for 6 years. It had so much of my life on it. Including the next chapter of this story, not to mention about 5-6 stories I had begun writing casually over the past few years. Sure I have many works archived on other websites, but to lose so much unfinished work was quite upsetting, and it definitely put a huge dampen on my motivation and will to write. I also started a new job (at least that trip to my sister's wasn't a complete loss, and that resume prep actually worked), which is another reason I haven't been writing, or answering your comments.

So I just wanted to let you guys know the situation and ask for your forgiveness and continued patience, because it will probably be another few weeks before you see an update. But I do want to assure you that despite my current funk that I haven't given up on this story and abandoned it. I am determined to continue with things as soon as I can. I might go back and re-read the last few chapters to hype myself up. But yeah, I am sorry to keep you waiting, and I promise I will eventually answer all the comments from the last chapter, and I will try and re-write the next chapter as soon as I can.

Sorry again for everything and hopefully I will be talking to you guys again soon.


	30. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After two and a half months of waiting, here is the next chapter at last!
> 
> Let me start by thanking everyone for their patience and understanding. It was a lot harder than I thought moving on from losing all my saved material from my previous computer. Even trying to write this chapter I kept comparing it the the previous one I had written and I never felt it was as good. Even now I still have that nagging feeling, but I know I need to push past it and just get something out there, then maybe I can get back into the swing of things. So here is my attempt at getting back out there. The chapter isn't the longest, but hopefully it is somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> Also, I know I said I would go back and answer all the old comments from the previous chapter, but at this point it has been so long, that I think any responses wouldn't be as meaningful. But I did read all of them, and I did appreciate all of them. So thank you. And I promise I will respond to any of you that are kind enough to leave your thoughts on this chapter XD
> 
> Okay, rambling over for now. Please enjoy!

Law approached Sanji and the alpha slowly, and carefully, knowing how unstable the other omega likely was given the current situation. Just like alphas, omegas had a tendency to slip into an ‘animal’ like state when someone dear to them was threatened. It might not be as overtly aggressive and feral, but it was no less dangerous. And given how strong he knew the blonde teen to be (he did give him a physical exam after all, and saw the impressive amount of muscles the kid had), and that someone important to him was seriously wounded, he could only imagine what would happen if he approached this situation the wrong way.

Once he was a few feet away he released a strong wave of his scent, so Sanji would pick up on his presence before he got too close and risked startling him. The reaction was immediate, Sanji snapping his head up, starring the other omega down with a warning look. He wasn’t even sure if the younger omega recognized him in his current state, so he raised his hands up and released another calming scent, hoping to convey the fact that he meant no harm.

“Sanji, it’s me, Law, do you remember?” He asked slowly, taking another careful step forward.

“Stay away from him,” Sanji hissed, wrapping his arms tighter around the unconscious alpha. His mind was a complete blur right now, and he wasn’t even fully aware of what was going on. All he knew was Zoro was hurt, hurt because of him, and all he wanted to do now was keep him safe. 

“I understand what you’re feeling, believe me I do, but you need to try and calm down. Your mind is probably in a haze right now, am I right?” He asked, receiving an uncertain nod from the young blonde. “You need to do your best to clear your mind, and try to remember that I’m not a threat. I’m a doctor, and I want to try and help your friend.”

Sanji stared at the other omega uncertainly for a few more moments, before he glanced down at Zoro, his face paling when he truly saw the state he was in. Looking at him now, it was so much worse then he realized…the amount of blood…the shock of the sight caused his whole body to tremble. 

“Please…help him…” He eventually choked out, his red puffy eyes snapping back up to Law, pure desperation shining within them.

“Of course,” Law sighed with relief, finally able to close the rest of the distance and crouch down beside the two teens. He inhaled sharply, feeling an intense pain radiating up his left side because of his movements. He hadn’t realized the fall he experienced had been so bad, and supposed his adrenaline was to blame for masking the majority of the pain. He took a few deep breaths before pushing the pain aside, knowing now wasn’t the time to get distracted. 

He quickly examined the two wounds to see what his priority should be, but the answer was pretty obvious. As grotesque as his eye looked it wasn’t life threatening, the gun shot wound, however, was another story entirely.

He didn’t have a lot of supplies on him, but he did have a small first aid kit tucked inside an inner pocket of the coat he was currently wearing. It was one of the many gifts Rosinante had given him for graduating from medical school, so it was something he cherished and always liked to keep close. There wasn’t a whole lot to the small kit, but considering the only other option would be for two pregnant omegas to carry the heavy alpha through what was essentially and active warzone, it would have to do. He should at least have enough tools at his disposal to buy them some time. He silently got to work, completely shutting everything else out as he concentrated on the task at hand. 

Sanji tried to watch, to see exactly what the other omega was doing, but quickly found that he had to look away. Seeing so much blood, and knowing who it belonged to, was almost too much to handle. And what made it worse was the fact that it was all his fault.

Zoro was only hurt because he was protecting him. And it was completely his fault for getting in the situation where he needed protecting in the first place. If he hadn’t been so damn stubborn and just listened to the others, then none of this would’ve happened. Zoro would be fine…he would be his usual annoying self, making some sort of stupid joke, or calling him some infuriating nickname like ‘fancy feet’ or ‘curly brow’. He would be teasing him, or threatening him, which Sanji would respond with his own threats in return. Maybe they would even be fighting…or at least they might’ve been if Sanji hadn’t found out about the baby. He would likely have to postpone all the beatings he owed the Marimo until after it was born…

He suddenly remembered the baby…Zoro’s baby. In the chaos of the situation, he had almost completely forgotten the news he had received earlier that night. About how he was pregnant with the other teen’s child. The thought once again began to overwhelm him and he was about to allow himself to panic, when another, far more horrifying thought struck him. What if he never got the chance to tell him? What if something happened to Zoro before he found out what he has done? That he was going to be a father. The thought caused him to snap, completely pushing him over the edge.

“Wake up,” Sanji meant to shout, but it ended up coming out as more of a pained whisper. He gently shook the other teen’s shoulder but received no response. “Wake up Marimo, there’s something we need to talk about.” Sanji tried again, this time shaking slightly harder. “Wake up!”

“Stop shaking him!” Law snapped without thinking, instantly regretting it when he saw the devastated look on the young omega’s face. He knew exactly what the teen was feeling, having gone through a very similar situation not that long ago. But as sympathetic as he was to the other omega, and as much as he would like to pull him into an embrace and try and soothe him, he still had his priorities as a doctor…and right now the alpha’s care took priority over the omega’s comfort.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell.” Law said, his voice far gentler, “but in order for me to give the care I need to, he needs to be kept still. Can you do that for me? Can you make sure he doesn’t move, no matter what?”

Sanji nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Law silently got back to work, while Sanji removed his hands from Zoro’s shoulders, scared to accidently move him again. He instead closed his eyes, doing something he hadn’t done in years, something he hadn’t done since his mother died…and that was pray. He never really believed in a higher power, but right now he was willing to try anything.

_God, please…if you can hear me, then you have to save him. We might’ve always had our differences, but he’s…he’s important to me. I like to pretend that I hate him, because, well, you’ve seen how annoying he can be, right? But in the end, that’s a lie and we both know it…I don’t hate him. Not even close…I need him here. Something happened, and I don’t think I’ll be able to face it without him. Please. Please…_

“Don’t tell me you’re crying over me cook…I didn’t know you cared so much.” A voice quietly wheezed out, a voice he never thought he would be so happy to hear in his life.

“Like I would be crying over you…” Sanji sniffed, not even caring when his voice broke, contradicting what he just said. He quickly wiped his face dry before he continued. “I was just remembering last weeks episode of the bachelorette…it was a very emotional one.”

“That’s so gay…” Zoro chuckled, but regretted it as he felt an intense pain in his abdomen. What the hell was that? What happened? He tried to sit up to see what was going on, but felt himself being held down by the other teen. “Sanji?” 

“First of all, the bachelorette isn’t gay! What’s so gay about wanting to see someone try and find their one true love?” Sanji huffed, choosing to ignore just how gay that might’ve sounded. “And second of all, don’t more or I’ll kick your ass.”

“Kicking me while I’m down…probably the only way you _could_ win.”

“You want to bet!” Sanji hissed, receiving a cocky look in response. He couldn’t believe that even in this situation he could still be so infuriating…

“Anytime, anywhere cook.” Zoro smirked, about to say more when he cried out, the pain having steadily increased to the point where it had become unbearable. 

Sanji’s stomach clenched, hating to see the other teen like this. He couldn’t even imagine the pain he must be in…if only there was something he could to do to take the pain away? Or at least distract him from it…

Zoro started to try and move again, causing Sanji to panic. Law had told him to keep the alpha still…but even in his extremely weakened state he was becoming hard to control. What could he do? What could he do? But before he allowed himself to actually think of anything, his body began moving on its own. 

Zoro began struggling, trying to get away from whatever it was that was causing his pain, when he completely froze, feeling a soft warmth caress his lips. The feeling was so foreign, yet so familiar. It was so intoxicating, yet so sobering. It made him feel so strong and safe, yet so weak and afraid. It was the most natural, yet unnatural feeling he had ever experienced. It was so…so…he completely lost his train of thought when the omega bit his lower lip, tugging at it with his teeth.

Sanji had no idea what he was doing, or what possibly possessed him to do it, but whatever small voice there was telling him to stop went completely ignored as the kiss only grew deeper and more intense. Not even the slightly nauseating taste of blood on the other teen’s lips seemed to be able to slow it down. At one point he even felt the Marimo’s tongue slip past his lips, beginning a back and forth dance with his own. 

Law continued to do what he could, when the two teens went quiet, the distressed scent in the air shifting to a far different one. He couldn’t help but smirk, strangely proud of the young teen…it may not have been the ideal situation to confront some of his confused feelings, but hey, at least it was keeping his patient from moving too much. 

Another few moments passed when he began hearing grunts, gasps, and moans…maybe this wasn’t the best method for restraint after all. He might have to interfere if whatever was going on got too much more intense. Though it didn’t have to come to that, when the noises stopped and Sanji suddenly called out his name. 

“Law! He passed out! What happened?! Is he okay?! He’s not…he’s not…”

“Don’t worry, he’s fine,” Law interrupted before the teen began freaking out too much more, quickly checking and the alpha’s pulse and noting that it was still strong. “He most likely just passed out from the pain…”

“Oh…” Sanji sighed, somewhat relieved that Zoro no longer had to feel the pain, but also strangely disappointed. 

“Either that, or you’re just that good of a kisser.” The older omega teased, not needing to look up to see the teen’s embarrassment.

“W-we…it w-wasn’t…I was just…” Sanji began stuttering, unsure of what he was even trying to say. His face felt like it was literally on fire…and he briefly wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment? When two alpha scents began approaching them, rapidly, causing both omegas to freeze, momentarily paralyzed by fear. 

Law snapped out of it first, pulling out a surgical knife from his kit in preparation, when two unfamiliar alphas came running into the room. One was surprisingly a woman, the other a man, neither one of them looking like someone Law wanted to mess with. He tried to mentally prepare himself for what was going to come next, when he sensed Sanji relax beside him, his distressed scent diminishing. He felt his own panic begin to ease when it became clear that Sanji knew them, and that neither were a threat.

“Thank God it’s you guys! Zoro needs help!” Sanji didn’t waste any time when he recognized Tashigi and Luffy’s brother Ace. “We need to call an ambulance!”

Ace had his phone out ready to go when Tashigi stopped him. 

“You can’t call,” she said, “not here.”

“What the hell are you talking about?! He needs help!” Sanji snapped, feeling no regret in that moment for talking to a lady like that. Zoro needed help immediately, and no one was going to stop him from getting it.

“I understand. But half the police force is currently on their way here, finally responding to calls about the pack battle. And we can’t risk Zoro being found here, or anyone from your pack for that matter. As much as I hate to admit it, it is very likely Kaido has a connection on the force, and if any of you get named in a police report then you’re at risk for retaliation. Seeing as you aren’t a part of Shanks or Whitebeard’s pack, they will see you as easy targets to take out their revenge on.”

“What are we suppose to do? We can’t just do nothing!” Sanji cried out, feeling himself grow more and more frustrated. Why did no one seem to understand the urgency of the situation!? Zoro. Needed. Help. NOW.

“Can he be moved at all?” Tashigi asked, turning to the other male omega in the room, who she noticed was tending to the young alpha’s wound. She had only briefly glanced at him before and hadn’t noticed his bulging abdomen, she tried to hide her surprise, but couldn’t help but feel that she failed miserably. 

She of course held no judgment toward male omegas, being a ‘rare female alpha’ herself gave her a similar stigma that they endured, she had just never seen one pregnant before. No matter how many times you hear about it, you can’t quite believe it until you see it.

“Obviously it would be ideal not to move him until proper help arrives,” Law said, snapping Tashigi out of her thoughts. She tore her eyes away from the omega’s abdomen, receiving a slight defensive glare from the man as he continued. “But I believe I got him to a stable enough state that we should be able to move him. As long as we are careful and we don’t risk re-opening the wound by twisting his body too much.”

“Great. I’m sure between me, Ace, and Luffy, we can easily carry him far enough away from the house, where we can then call an ambulance.” Tashigi said, looking around the room when an unpleasant realization hit her. “Wait, where is Luffy? I know he heard the gunshots and came this way to find you…”

“I don’t know…I was so distracted I can’t even tell you if he was here or not.” Sanji admitted, having a hard time keeping his full attention off Zoro even now.

“Is he young, lanky, and have black hair?” Law suddenly asked, causing everyone’s attention to turn toward him.

“Yeah, that sounds like my brother. Did you see him?” Ace asked, seeing a brief flash of fear in the omega’s eyes. He was beginning to have a bad feeling himself.

“He saved my life…” Law’s hand subconsciously travelled to his abdomen, “our life,” he corrected. He remembered the scene so vividly…staring down a barrel of a gun was something he likely would never forget. Nor would he ever forget the alpha that saved him. He would have to find some way to thank him, though he knew nothing would ever be enough. However, he would only have to worry about that if he saw him again, and given who he was up against there was no guarantee of that. “He’s fighting Doflamingo. But where they ended up, I don’t know.”

“Shit…” Tashigi muttered, as sense of dread and guilt taking over. First Zoro was shot, now Luffy was fighting one of the most dangerous alphas in the city one on one? She was the one who allowed those two to come, they had been her responsibility, and she failed them. If anything happened to either of them…

The sound of approaching sirens in the distance snapped her out of her thoughts. They had no more time to think, they had to act, and her first priority was getting Zoro and the two omegas out of here.

“Ace, do you think you could carry Zoro on your own?”

“Of course,” Ace answered, “but what about Luffy? As confident as I am in my brother’s ability to fight, I still feel wrong leaving knowing who he’s up against.”

“I will go find them. And I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure he’s okay, and that he gets out of here before the cops arrive.”

Ace hated the idea of leaving his brother behind, but he trusted Tashigi and knew she meant every word she said. Plus they were out of time, and he knew he was the only one that would be able to carry the unconscious alpha such a long distance. 

“Alright, thank you.” Ace nodded, agreeing to the alpha woman’s plan. “But be careful.”

“You too.” She returned the nod, before pulling out her gun and following the last remnants of scent she could find. 

“Luffy won’t lose.” Sanji said, no hint of doubt whatsoever in his voice. 

Ace couldn’t help but smile at the teen’s words. It was clear his brother had his friend’s complete confidence and respect, which were marks of a great leader. He couldn’t be prouder of his brother and what he has accomplished. And couldn’t wait to see what he would be able to do next.

“You’re right, there is no way he will lose.” Ace agreed, before squatting down and picking up the other alpha. He played it off like it was nothing, but shit was the teen heavy…what kind of high school kid was this ripped anyway? 

“Alright, let’s go.” He said, letting the omegas lead the way. Leaving the rest up to his brother and Tashigi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this wasn't as intensely exciting as you were probably hoping for after such a long wait, but it had to be told. The next chapter will be all about what's going on with Luffy and Doflamingo though! So look forward to that XD And I think now that I have forced my way through this writer's block that I can start moving on and write more regularly. 
> 
> Again thank you for your patience! I know it wasn't that exciting, but hey, at least there was a kiss! Let me know what you thought and I will hopefully be talking to you guys soon!!!


	31. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for their wonderful comments from the last chapter! I appreciated them all so much. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things, so updates might still be a little slow.
> 
> But here is the next chapter! This is not how I saw this chapter going when I was first planning it out, and it kind of took on a mind of it's own. I hope it turned out alright and that you enjoy!

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nami asks, staring at her fellow omega out of the corner of her eye with concern. She still might not know exactly who he was yet, but the fact that he had been with Sanji and Ace when she, and the rest of the pack, arrived at the hospital was enough to earn her worry. 

“Yeah…I’m fine.” Law mutters, keeping his eyes trained to the floor. Every instinct in him is telling him to run. He is a pregnant omega, surrounded by complete strangers…not even Sanji was in the waiting room with him anymore. It had been just over two hours since they had brought the green-haired alpha in, and the doctor had allowed the blonde to go in to see him once he was stable.

But despite his urge to run, to get away, he couldn’t bring himself to move. He was still worried about his fellow male omega, and wanted to absolutely make sure he was alright before he went anywhere…that and he no idea where he would go anyway. Doflamingo made him break his apartments lease when he forced him to move into the pack house, his parents were a thousand miles away, and despite having spent the last 5 years here he had somehow managed to make absolutely no friends. So needless to say he was a little bit screwed at the moment, but even given his current predicament he was still relieved. No matter what happened next at least he was away from that monster…at least he hoped he was away from him. He still had no idea what happened. Was he killed? Arrested? Did he end up winning the fight and now he would hunt him down and make him pay for leaving? The thought terrified him, his hand absently travelling to his stomach, needing the comfort only his child could provide. 

He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. The last thing he wanted was to break down in a room full of strangers. Though despite not knowing any of these people, and some of his instincts telling him to get away, a part of him still sort of felt safe. He couldn’t even begin to explain it, but it was true. Maybe it was the fact that he spent the last 6 months as a prisoner to his former lover’s psychopathic brother, so he could theoretically feel somewhat safe with anyone, but there was something about this group. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. 

“Well make sure you speak up if you are feeling even a little bit off. The last thing I would want is for anything to happen to you or your…OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE!!!” Nami shrieked, causing Law, and everybody sitting with in a few feet radius of her to jump in surprise. Law looked up, his heart pounding a mile a minute, when he saw just what caught the other omega’s attention…and it certainly wasn’t pretty.

“So…it’s noticeable?” A mumble came from the red and puffy blob…

“Is it noticeable? Shit Luffy! It looks like a herd of elephants just ran over your face!!!” Nami cried, trying to caress her alpha’s cheek, but she couldn’t even begin to figure out where his cheek was in the first place. 

“If you think this is bad, you should see the other guy!” The red broken blob tried to joke, but everyone was far too shocked to laugh.

“Is the other guy dead?” Nami deadpanned, “because I’m pretty sure there isn’t any way he could look worse…”

“Well funny story…” he began, only to receive a very unamused look from his omega, “okay, okay…not so funny story…I may or may not have slipped into a little bit of a rage.”

Law stayed silent, listening to alpha and omega bicker back and forth. There was something so familiar about that voice, about that scent. It took him a few moments to realize, because of his distorted face, that he was looking at the alpha that saved his life. Every instinct in him was telling him to go over, to thank the alpha, but he held back, knowing first and foremost that you didn’t get between mates, no matter the circumstances, and the obvious connection those two had, there was no way that they weren’t mates. 

“Okay, okay…I’m sorry I freaked out,” Nami sighed, “not that anyone could blame me…” She added as an afterthought. “But tell us what happened, from the beginning…please.” 

“This idiot fought against Donquixote Doflamingo, that’s what happened.” Tashigi said, as if appearing out of nowhere beside the swollen alpha. Those words caused everyone in the waiting room to freeze, as if they had all forgotten how to breath. Even Law, who had been there to witness a part of it still had a hard time believing it could possibly be true. No one fought against Donquixote Doflamingo and lived…but if the young alpha was here, did that mean…did that mean he won? Was his nightmare really over? It couldn’t be, could it?

“Well when I got into the room I saw Zoro was down, Sanji was terrified, and Mingo or whatever his name is, had a gun pointed at that omega,” Luffy said pointing toward Law. “So I lost it…I don’t really remember all the details because of the rage.”

“I think I can fill in some of the them.” Tashigi said, the events of the night still vivid in her mind. She doesn’t think she would ever forget what happened, the terrifying power and strength she saw. Despite his goofy demeanor Monkey D. Luffy was a true head alpha.

~  
2 HOURS EARLIER

Even without the scent, she would be able to find the two alphas easily. All she would have to do is follow the massive amount of destruction they left in their wake. It really was incredible. Furniture was knocked over, pictures were broken, walls now had massive holes in them. The fight was obviously very heated, it was very likely who ever lost this fight wouldn’t be walking away…

Vicious growls, followed by the sound of a few loud crashes, caught her attention. She raised her gun, preparing for the worst, as she rounded the corner, seeing the two alphas a few feet from each other, staring each other down.

Luffy was very bruised, small cuts littering his body. But to her surprise, Doflamingo looked to be in a very similar state. His coat was torn, his glass broken, a large cut almost spanning the entirety of his face. Both were panting heavily, the toll of fight weighing on them. 

Tashigi raised her gun with a steady hand, having a clean shot of the older alpha. It may have been protocol to try and arrest him so he could face trial and ‘justice’ could be served…but with his connections, who knows if he would even be charged? There was a very real chance that he could actually walk away from this, and just end up hurting more and more people. But she could end this all right here and right now. Stop the man that had hurt Vivi and countless others once and for all. All she had to do was pull the trigger…

“Don’t.” Luffy shouted, stepping in the way of her shot. “He shot Zoro, he kidnapped Sanji and Vivi, he hurt my friends, my pack, I will be the one to finish this.”

His voice was powerful, his scent overpowering, despite feeling it was her duty as an officer to stop Doflamingo and make sure the young alpha wasn’t hurt, she lowered her gun, standing down, submitting to the younger alpha. There was something about his presence…something that made her truly believe he could do this.

While Luffy was distracted talking to Tashigi, Doflamingo made his next move, lunging forward, hitting the younger man directly in the jaw. Luffy stumbled back, but regained his footing quickly. He easily avoided the next hit, getting a shot of his own in, hitting the older alpha in the gut. 

Doflamingo coughed, the force of the impact taking his breath away, causing his fury to increase. How dare this _child_ stand against him. How dare he actually give him such a hard time. He would pay for this! 

Doflamingo grabbed a nearby lamp, swinging it wilding, yet no matter how fast he was, he couldn’t make contact. WHY, why couldn’t he hit him.?! How was this possible?! His rage grew once again, his vision turning red, and any small amounts of control that he previously had were now gone. 

“DIE!” The older alpha growled, his moves becoming even more frantic, desperate. The lamp hit the wall, breaking into several pieces, putting a sizeable hole in the wall in the process. He grabbed the next closest object swinging it, not caring who or what he hit, as long as he was able to take that little shit down. 

Luffy ducked, avoiding the coffee table that was now being swung around. He was able to pivot and get behind the older alpha. As much as he hated the idea of attacking someone from behind, he didn’t have any other option. He kicked the older man’s knees causing him to crash down to the ground, the glass from the table shattering into thousands of pieces.

Luffy didn’t hesitate as he jumped on to the older alpha, smashing his fist repeatedly into his face. Just when it seemed like he had won, and that the older man was about to lose consciousness, something, or someone, jumped on his back, someone else grabbing his arm. He was about to through them off, when the strong scent of omegas reached his nose, causing him to momentarily hesitate. 

That was all Doflamingo needed to dislodge himself, getting to his feet. Luffy quickly got to his feet as well, but it was made harder by the two omegas still hanging off of him.

“Don’t you lay your hands on Doflamingo-sama!” One of the omegas screeched.

“Leave our mate alone!” The other cried.

It surprised Luffy that anyone would be this loyal to such a piece of garbage. But he couldn’t let this stop him, he couldn’t allow the other alpha to win because of this. 

He tried to think what is options were, when a crazed Doflamingo came rushing toward him. Didn’t he realize that his mates were there? Did he really have no idea what he was doing? Or did he know, but didn’t care?

“MY KILL,” The blonde alpha hissed, tearing the two omegas off of him, not caring where they ended up or how rough he was in the process. They both hit the wall, hard, falling unconscious immediately. 

“Those were your omegas!” Luffy growled, “you’re suppose to protect them with your life! What the hell is your problem?!” Even in his current rage induced state, he would never even dream of laying a hand on Nami…yet this piece of trash just threw his omegas aside like they meant nothing. In that moment, his rage toward the older alpha increased dramatically.

“I didn’t ask for their help! You’re my kill!” Doflamingo snarled, stepping over one of his unconscious omega’s bodies as he rushed toward the younger alpha once more. He was going to end this, and he was going to end it now. He pulled out a knife, one he had almost forgotten he had on him, and lunged toward the younger man.

Luffy took a deep breath and tried to stay calm, not allowing the fury that was burning within him to make him sloppy, like it was making Doflamingo. He reminded himself what this man did to his friends, and used that rage to make him stronger, to make his senses sharper. Losing now wasn’t an option, he was going to win this for his pack. 

Doflamingo rapidly approached him, swinging his blade frantically. Luffy was able to dodge the attacks easily, as if sensing the alpha’s next move. He had become careless, predictable, beatable… 

After a particularly reckless swing, Luffy grabbed the older alpha’s arm in one hand, using his other elbow to come down on it, breaking his arm instantly, causing him to drop the knife. And he didn’t let up from there. He knew if he allowed the other alpha even a moment to recover that he would be a huge threat, broken arm or not. So he began an all out pummeling, sending blow after blow into the older man’s already abused face.

Doflamingo tried to back away, but couldn’t escape the barrage of fists no matter how hard he tried. He ended up stumbling over his own feet, sending him crashing to the ground. This couldn’t be happening…he couldn’t actually lose…could he?

Luffy stayed on Doflamingo, not letting up for a second. He had to end this. That was the only way to keep his pack safe. He couldn’t risk Doflamingo living and trying to seek revenge. Even if he was arrested, and locked behind bars for the rest of his life, he had still seen his face, Zoro’s face, Vivi’s face, Sanji’s face…the plan was to keep their identities secret from Kaido, but as long as Doflamingo was around there would never be a guarantee of that. 

He could smell the blood, he could feel the bone cracking underneath his fists. He was so close, just a little more, and it would all be over. 

He was mid-swing when a new smell caught his attention, causing him to freeze. 

“Step away from him you damned idiot, don’t make me put a bullet in you.” A deep, rough voice barked. A voice that he knew wasn’t joking. A voice he knew better than to ignore it. He sighed, getting off Doflamingo and taking a few steps back. He had been so damn close, and a part of him wanted to finish it, no matter the costs. But in the end, he knew he would be more useful to his pack alive than dead, especially if Doflamingo walked away from this.

“Chief Garp!” Tashigi gasped, not believing he was actually here himself. This definitely didn’t look good for her. “I can explain…”

“I bet you can, and I’m sure it’s an interesting story, but save it for another time. Right now I want you to get that moron over there,” he barked, pointing at Luffy, “out of here, before any other officer sees him.”

“Sir?” She asked, a little confused. Even though he was the one that told her to take ‘other measures’ to save the omegas from Doflamingo, it was still unusual for him to just allow an alpha who was in the process of beating someone to death to just walk away. 

“My grandson might be an absolute idiot, but he doesn’t deserve to go to jail for trying to protect members of his pack.” 

“Then you should’ve let me finish it you old geezer,” Luffy muttered under his breath.

“What was that boy!” Garp growled, “If you think I’m just going to sit back and allow you to become a killer, then you’re an even bigger moron then I thought. I could never face your mother again if I let that happen.”

Luffy stayed silent, wanting to argue, but wasn’t sure that he could. He had a point…once he crossed that line, and actually took another person’s life (no matter how much they might deserve it) would everybody be able to look at him the same way again? Would Nami?

“Wait, wait, wait,” Tashigi said, still not quite recovered from that bombshell that was just dropped. “Are you saying that Luffy is _your_ grandson? Like, for real?”

“Unfortunately yes.”

“What do you mean unfortunately, old man!”

“Little brat!”

“Jerk face!”

“Smelly ass!”

“Over the hill gorilla!”

“Brain dead monkey!”

“Huh,” Tashigi mumbled, never having seen this side of the chief before. His claims of being Luffy’s grandfather were becoming more and more plausible by the second. 

“Enough of this!” Garp snapped.

“But I just thought of a really good one!” Luffy whined.

“It’s a miracle we haven’t been discovered yet. I want the two of you to get the hell out of here now!”

“Yes sir.” Tashigi grabbed Luffy’s arm, not wanting to have to be told a third time. 

“And I want you to report to me at the station as soon as you get this moron somewhere safe. Is that clear?”

“Crystal, sir.” Tashigi saluted, before beginning to drag the pouting alpha out of the room. 

There was something about Garp’s tone that she didn’t like, and had absolutely no idea what was going to come next. But as long as the omegas were safe, and Doflamingo was arrested, that was enough for now. 

She started heading towards the hospital, knowing that was likely where the others were…not to mention Luffy might need to be checked out himself. That fight with Doflamingo was no joke, nor was that ‘fist of love’ Garp gave his grandson before he left. 

~  
BACK AT THE HOSPITAL

“Grandpa Garp hit you? Well that explains the face,” Ace and a few others who knew the man chuckled.

Law didn’t really understand why that would be funny, a grandfather abusing his grandson, but shrugged it off. The alpha in question was laughing about it, so it must not have been that big of a deal. Besides, at the moment he had bigger questions.

“So Doflamingo was arrested?” He asked, hesitantly. He hated drawing everybody’s attention to him, but he needed to know. His and his child’s future depended on this. “Do you have enough on him to charge him?”

“I don’t know yet. I have to go meet with the Chief now to discuss it.” Tashigi sighed. She hated to even think this, but she wasn’t convinced they necessarily had enough to convict him. Even though they literally found the omega’s in his pack house, there were still a number of things that could go wrong. Especially since she knew for a fact that most of the omegas would be too terrified to testify…and if it was only a handful of omega’s words against a notorious crime bosses…the jury might not have the balls to do what they know is right. “I’m sorry to say there is no guarantee at this point.”

“You can’t be serious! He can’t possibly get away with this! He…he’s going to…I-I can’t…he’ll kill my…” The pregnant omega’s panic and fear could be felt by everybody in the room, earning all of their immediate concern.

“It will be okay,” Nami said, pulling the frightened omega toward her, releasing the most calming scent she could. He struggled for a minute, trying to pull away, but quickly found himself relaxing against her body. It was strange, he was a good few inches taller than her, yet he felt so small, so safe in her arms. He knew it was just his omega instincts giving into the comfort of another omega, and that this didn’t change the danger he and his child were still in, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at that moment, desperately clinging onto the safe feeling he had like his life depended on it.

“You don’t have to worry. I promise I won’t let him hurt you ever again.” Luffy said, once it appeared Nami was able to calm the other omega down. 

There was so much confidence behind his words…but it didn’t make any sense to Law. How could he promise that? How could he be so sure of himself? He didn’t even know him! He was a complete stranger to the alpha, so why was he saying these things?

“There’s no way you can promise me that…you don’t even know me.” Law sighed, finally letting go of the redheaded omega and taking a few steps back, staring at the room full of people. “None of you do.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Luffy shrugged. “You’re Sanji’s friend so you’re our friend. And I keep my friends safe.”

“That logic doesn’t make sense! My life could be in danger, and all of your lives could be in danger just being associated with me! And just because I happen to be acquainted with someone you know, you think that’s worth risking everything? Are you stupid?” Law asked, completely seriously. 

“First of all, after hearing what happened, I’m pretty sure Luffy is number one on Doflamingo’s shit list, with or without being associated with you. Second of all, his logic does make sense,” Law was surprised to find it was Nami who was speaking, half expecting Luffy to snap and go off on him. It was rare that an alpha let an omega talk to them like that and get away with it…at least in his experience. He had begun to think that Rosinante was the only good alpha that existed on this planet, but maybe that wasn’t entirely true after all. “Because you’re clearly not just an acquaintance of Sanji’s, you’re much more than that. Do you not know what an omega bond is?” Nami asked, somewhat surprised by the confused look on the older omega’s face. “When two omegas, usually two who experience traumatic situations together, seek comfort in each other in order to make it through whatever situation they are in. They end up forming a special connection, one that can never be broken. I might be close with Vivi and Sanji, pretty much as close as any omegas can be with each other, but even we don’t share a full omega bond.”

“I’m not sure I understand?” Law said, trying to comprehend what she was saying. 

“It might be faint, but I can still smell Sanji’s lingering scent on you. And given what you experienced together in that house, I think it’s very likely you formed an omega bond with him.”

“What does that even mean? We’re not like…mated or something, are we?” Law asked still feeling very confused. He had of course heard the term before, but it never seemed relevant to him, so he never felt the need to learn more about it.

“Not even close.” Nami said, causing a wave of relief to wash over him. As much as he might care for the kid, he saw him more as a little brother than a potential mate. “It’s kind of hard to explain…especially since I have never experienced one myself. But from what I have heard, and the research I have done on it, it’s more like a strong pack bond or a bond between siblings or something more so than a mating bond. It supposedly allows you to be more sympathetic to each other, even more so than omegas already are to one another…I even heard in some cases you can feel the other’s pain, and that the presence of your bonded omega can actually ease some of that pain. It’s still not as strong as the bond between actual mates, but as far as significance in an omega’s life, it’s the next closest thing.”

Law stayed silent for a few moments, trying to properly absorb everything he was just told. It didn’t seem like it could possibly be real. Him? Being close enough to someone to be bonded with them? No way…

All his life he was told by countless people that something like that would never happen. As a child the kids on the playground called him creepy and weird, and teased him that no one would ever want to be his friend because no one would want to risk catching his ‘cooties’. Even his parents were constantly on him to change his attitude and personality, warning him he would always be alone if he didn’t. He had thought that all changed when he was reunited with Rosinante, but in the end, he never bonded with him, and ended up losing him, being left alone in the world once again. So other than the bond he had with his unborn child, he never thought anyone would ever want to get close to him again. Yet someone was telling him that he had created a powerful unbreakable bond with someone…it just didn’t seem possible. 

But despite how unreal the whole thing was, there was an undeniable ache he felt, an ache he could only explain as belonging to Sanji. He was feeling a piece of the pain Sanji was experiencing sitting at his injured alpha’s bedside. 

“I see…” Was the only thing he could bring himself to say. Still not fully comprehending the gravity of what this meant.

“Yeah, so you’re not just some acquaintance of Sanji’s, your as good as family to him, and that means your as good as family to us. So Luffy’s point about wanting to protect you, no matter what, was perfectly valid.” Nami said, causing Luffy to cheer out loud in agreement.

“Yeah! I am right!!”

“As for him being stupid…the jury is still out on that one.”

“Yeah! I…wait, what?” 

“As you can see, your stuck with us, at least for a while.” Nami finished, placing her hand on the pregnant omega’s shoulder, and giving it a tight squeeze. 

“But, I don’t have anywhere to go! I literally have nothing! All I have is the clothes on my back! I don’t have a job, I’m pregnant, and because of that my chances of finding a real job anytime soon are slim to none. Even the money Rosinante left me is still tied up because his death hasn’t been solved, and I wasn’t his official mate. I’m a walking money pit! How can you say your stuck with me! You’re all so young and have no idea what your getting into!”

“They might not, but I do.” A black-haired beta said, stepping forward. Her voice was deep, calm, and smooth. She might only be a beta, but it was almost as though she had the presence of an alpha. Strong, powerful, intelligent…he made a mental note, this was a beta he never wanted to get on the bad side of.

“I don’t think you really know…” Law began, but was quickly interrupted.

“I’m not a fool, Trafalgar D. Water Law,” the beta purred, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Seriously, who was this woman?

“How did you know my na…”

“My name is Robin, and I am the owner of our pack house. The house was paid for in full and left to me. As was the massive insurance settlement left behind from my mother’s pack. Not too mention me and my mate Franky have well paying jobs. What all this means, is any financial burden you think you will be placing on us, you are not. Do you really think me and my husband would be so willing to make a pack with so many unemployed teenagers if we couldn’t handle it?”

“Well, I don’t know, but…”

“But nothing, you will be staying with us.” Robin said, her tone final. “And don’t argue, I know you have nowhere to go, and with your bond with Sanji it is the only logical option. Agree…at least until you have your child, get a job, and you come up with another option.”

“I…I don’t know what to say…” And he meant it, what was he suppose to say to that? How was he suppose to argue with that? He didn’t have anywhere to go, and if he really did have this bond with Sanji then it would be difficult to be away from him for long…and if the beta woman was adamant that it wasn’t a burden…

“You don’t have to say anything.” Robin smiled, reaching her hand out to the skeptical omega. Law looked at it, before glancing at the room around him, to all the smiling, welcoming faces. This was insane, it couldn’t be real…nothing like this had ever happened to him before. What was he suppose to say? What was he suppose to do? What would Rosinante want him to do?

His hand, once again travelled to his swollen abdomen…and not for the first time that night, his unborn child helped him make a world changing decision. He reached out his other hand, shaking the beta’s. 

He didn’t know what was going to happen, and he still didn’t really know who any of these people were, but at least for now this was the only option he had. But strangely, beyond his comprehension, he was okay with that…

Now, all he had to do was wait for his bonded omega to emerge from that hospital room, so he could make sure that he was okay, and try to take some of his pain away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it! Any thoughts? Questions? Concerns? I would love to hear any opinions!
> 
> Next chapter we will be focusing back on Zoro and Sanji, and just what is happening in that hospital room. As well as find out more details about what will happen to Doflamingo from Tashigi. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and hopefully I will be talking to you again soon!


	32. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji and Zoro talk. Tashigi and Garp talk. Then two other people talk...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the lovely comments for the previous chapter! I appreciated them all! And as a thank you, here is an extra long 8000+ word chapter! I hope you enjoy!

Sanji sat silently, staring at the motionless form on the bed, trying to completely comprehend the events of the last 48 hours. So much had happened, in such a short time. Being kidnapped, meeting Law, finding out he was pregnant, almost losing Zoro, it almost didn’t seem real. Yet here he was, looking at the physical aftermath of it all, the sight of which caused his stomach to churn unpleasantly. The rhythmic beep of the heart monitor, and the steady rise and fall of the alpha’s chest did little to ease the uncomfortable feeling clutching his insides. 

This was his fault. No matter how many times the others tried to assure him that it wasn’t, he still couldn’t bring himself to believe it. Even Zoro’s father when he had been here earlier had tried to comfort him and tell him that he shouldn’t blame himself…but how could he not? 

Zoro would never have been at that house if he hadn’t allowed himself to be kidnapped. Zoro would never have felt the need to protect him if he hadn’t begged him for help during his first heat. Everyone could pat his back and tell him everything would be alright all they wanted, but that would never change the fact that Zoro was lying in a hospital bed, still fighting for his life, and it was all because of him. 

“You’re an idiot you know that?” Sanji asked out loud, half expecting some snarky reply, but only receiving more of the continuous beeping of the heart monitor. “Stupid stubborn alpha…you just couldn’t resist coming to my rescue, could you? I thought you agreed that just because I was an omega didn’t mean I couldn’t handle myself…not that things were looking particularly great for me before you showed up, but still! That is completely besides the point! I’m sure I would’ve thought of something…”

He didn’t quite believe his own words, but he would never say that out loud to Zoro, whether he was awake or not. He was very aware of the truth, how he very likely would’ve been killed or sold, but right now it was something his brain didn’t want to process, not when it was already dealing with so much else.

“And if you were going to rescue me, why weren’t you a little more careful about it, huh? I mean, you’re Roronoa Zoro aren’t you? Aren’t you suppose to be some big-shot kendo champion or something? You’re always bragging about it…yet you couldn’t take down one little alpha? True he is a big-time crime boss, and he did have a gun on me…but that’s just an excuse! You could’ve taken him down. You could’ve taken that risk. Maybe he would’ve shot me, but maybe not, you didn’t know for sure. You just stood there, you left yourself wide open…you might as well have been holding a sign up that said ‘please shoot me’ or something. Why allow that to happen? Why stand there and do nothing?!”

“Couldn’t risk it…” Came a raspy, mumbled reply. The sound of which actually caused Sanji to jump, not having been expecting it. “Why are you shouting? I’m trying to sleep.”

Sanji got up from the chair that was pulled up to the alpha’s bed side, wanting a better look at the teen’s face, needing to see for himself that he was awake, that he was okay. There were bandages covering the majority of the left side of his face, the reason for which was something he didn’t even want to think about right now…but his right eye was cracked open, and he had his typical cocky smirk painted across his face.

“It’s actually been 12 hours; don’t you think you’ve slept enough Marimo?” Sanji snorted, but couldn’t help as a smirk of his own spread across his face. He would never admit how worried he had been, or how relieved he was now that the other teen was conscious. 

“Shit…has it really been that long?” Zoro groaned, trying to sit up, but feeling a stabbing pain in his abdomen that caused him to lay back down. Right, he had been shot…he had almost forgotten about that.

“Don’t move! Do you want to rip your stitches open or something!” Sanji snapped, securing the other teen in place by holding him down by the shoulders.

“Yes, that is exactly what I want,” Zoro rolled his eyes…or eye? His vision was a little distorted, and there was definitely something over his left eye. Huh, well that wasn’t an encouraging sign…

“It wouldn’t surprise me if that is what you wanted! After all you just stood there with your head up your ass and allowed yourself to get shot!” Sanji hissed, practically digging his nails into the other teen’s shoulders. Zoro was about to say something sarcastic, and probably offensive, when he stopped, sensing that he should tread lightly. There was a visible pain on the blonde’s face, a pain that broke his heart, a pain that shouldn’t be there. It was guilt.

“Of course that’s not what I wanted…” He sighed, raising his hands to place them on Sanji’s, who still had his hands harshly gripping his shoulders. He gave them a tight squeeze, dragging them down and away from him, but not letting them go. “I’m sorry if I scared you. But all I wanted was to save you and the…and you…” Zoro cursed himself, almost dropping the bomb he had vowed not to. After the initial freak out and rage he had when Zeff told him Sanji might be pregnant, Zoro told himself that he wouldn’t breathe a word of it until Sanji brought it up to him. Because there was of course the large possibility that it wasn’t even true, that Zeff was mistaken. And he would never risk his friendship with Sanji by going up to him and saying something stupid like ‘hey, did I knock you up?’ without knowing for sure. 

“I wasn’t scared,” Sanji said, but his voice betraying the truth, “And you never cared about me before. In fact, it always seemed like you kind of hated me. Sure, we had the same friends. And sure, we had a rivalry…but that was it, you know? There was always this distance between us. I was never sure why. I thought maybe we were just too much a like or something…whatever it was, it changed when I presented…when you claimed me.”

“But I…” Zoro began, but was quickly cut off.

“Don’t worry, I’m not still blaming you or anything. I’m sure I said some pretty unnecessary things right after it happened, but I know they’re not true. In the end I’m the one who asked for it. It was my decision, and mine alone. I just feel like you only risked your life because I put some sort of omega spell on you, and that’s not a great feeling. Two months ago, something like this would never have happened. So, I’m sorry.”

“Sanji…”

“DON’T,” the blonde snapped, much louder than he meant to. But he needed to finish. There had been so much weighing on him for so long, that he felt if he didn’t say it all now, then he likely never would. “Don’t try to make excuses. Don’t say something like ‘it was just as much my decision as it was yours’ because I don’t want to hear that. Maybe in the end it was, but I still want to think it was my choice, my decision, that everything that happened was because of me. That way, that way…that way, no matter what comes next, I can pretend that I am the one who is in control. Even if it means taking responsibility for what happened, admitting that you almost dying is my fault. I need to feel like I have some sort of power. That I have the ability to decide my own future for myself. This probably sounds completely ridiculous, but please, don’t take this away from me by saying something stupid and reassuring.”

Sanji finally finished, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down. He had no idea where that came from, and he was sure Zoro probably thought he was insane, but he didn’t care. He still needed to say it. He needed to say his piece before Zoro found out, before he came to whatever decision he was going to come to about it.

“Am I allowed to speak now?” Zoro tried again, carefully, waiting a full minute for Sanji to stop him before he continued. “You can think whatever you want to think and feel whatever you want to feel. It is completely your right to do so. But I hope that means I am also allowed to think and feel whatever I want. Because that’s only fair, you know? And if that’s the case then I will never regret what I did. You can take responsibility if you want, but if it were to happen again, I would do the exact same thing again.”

“You almost died…” Sanji sighed, lowering his gaze away from the alpha’s. “Shit, you lost your left eye Zoro. Do you even realize that? Unlike the gunshot wound, no amount of healing is ever going to fix _that_.” So he did lose it after all…he hadn’t been quite sure yet. But as long as his other eye stayed healthy, he didn’t really see the problem. Other then slightly adjusting his fighting style, he should still be able to do everything he use to. 

“I will _never_ regret what I did.” Zoro repeated, holding tighter to Sanji’s hands when he tried to let go. 

“You’re an idiot.” Sanji snorted. “But I suppose no matter how many times I tell you that, nothing it going to change that fact.”

“No sir.” The alpha beamed, causing Sanji to roll his eyes. 

“Anyway, on that note…there is something I need to tell you. Something that might be hard to believe…I mean shit! I have had two days to get use to the idea, and not even I can quite believe it.” 

“I think I know what you’re going to say.” Zoro blurted before he could stop himself. He received a disbelieving, and somewhat annoyed look from the blonde in return. But after the conversation they just had, his suspicions that Zeff’s theory was correct only skyrocketed. And he saw how worried Sanji was about telling him. Maybe if he knew that he already knew, that would make it easier?

“Trust me, you don’t.” 

“But I do…”

“No, you don’t.”

“YES, I do!”

“You DON’T!”

“DO!”

“DON’T!”

“DO!”

“DON’T!”

“DO!!!!”

“DON’T….Oh my God, I can’t believe we are having this argument right now!” Sanji hissed, “This just further proves we aren’t going to be ready for this!”

“Maybe not, but I know we can learn as we go along. I mean…it’s not like our parents had all the answers when they were raising us, right?”

“WAIT, wait, wait…wait. What do you mean by _that_?” Sanji asked, feeling his heart pounding a mile a minute. He had gone over this in his head a hundred times, how he was going to tell Zoro…not one of those times involved him knowing the truth before he had even gotten the words out.

“Ummm, I mean, you know…because of stuff and things…I know, but don’t, I mean…It’s not my fault!!” Zoro finished lamely, not sure what to say. His plan of making things easier for Sanji by telling him that he already knew might not have been the smartest thing after all. How was he actually going to react? Especially when he found out that it wasn’t only Zoro that already knew, but it was the rest of the pack as well…not to mention Zeff and Tashigi…and the Whitebeard pack…and the Red-haired Shanks pack…dear God, they were all dead.

“What’s not your fault?” Sanji asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“OW…My eye…” Zoro hissed, gripping his bandaged eye with one of his hands, the other hand being squeezed even harder by the increasingly annoyed, not buying it, omega.

“Oh yeah? Does your eye hurt? I better get the nurse in here then. She did say how she would have to check your vitals when you woke up. Including your temperature…rectally…” He smirked, having to hold back a chuckle when the alpha’s eyes widened in horror. He really shouldn’t be amused right now, he should be annoyed, but the stupid green-haired idiot made it difficult. 

“You wouldn’t!”

“Wouldn’t I?” Sanji asked, his one free hand inching toward the call button.

“I don’t know for sure, but I am pretty sure what you’re about to tell me is that you’re pregnant…something that apparently Zeff could smell on you a week ago. And when you went missing it was something he thought me and the others should know.” Zoro wheezed out in one breath, watching as Sanji’s hand fell away from the call button, and his face going from shocked, to more shocked, to absolutely horrified. It was obvious that Zoro had found out somehow, but he had not been expecting _that_.

“You know…and Zeff knows…and everybody knows…” Sanji mumbled, a vast array of feelings washing over him. How was he suppose to process that? Here he thought he was about to deliver some of the most shocking and unbelievable news, but apparently there was no need! 

“For the record, we are all cool about this…” Zoro added hesitantly, when the shocked and pale face of the omega didn’t change. 

“You’re okay with this? You’re actually okay with this?!” Sanji laughed, the irony of this situation was too much. “I don’t know whether to be pissed or relieved! This was going to be the hardest thing I ever had to say, but apparently, I don’t have to say it! Not to anybody! That’s…I don’t even know what that is…”

“I’m sorry we all found out this way. You finding out first and deciding where and when to tell us was your right and that was taken away from you. But…everything else from here on out is up to you. No matter what you decide you want to do. This is your body and your decision, and I respect that.”

Sanji remained silent, for several minutes, trying to comprehend everything. How everybody actually knew. How Zeff knew, how Zoro knew, how Nami knew, how they all knew but no one was disgusted with him…no one turned their backs on him. His worst nightmare about this whole thing had been that everybody would think he was a freak, even more than he had been thinking it himself, but apparently that worst nightmare was unfounded…at least for now. How would they feel when they heard his decision? Sanji knew Zoro meant it when he said it was his body, and that he would support him no matter what he decided…but just what decision was the alpha hoping he would make?

“I can’t quite explain it…6 weeks ago, when I first presented as an omega, I literally thought my life was over. That I was forever going to be seen as some disgusting freak…that’s how my father and brothers saw me after all.” That comment caught Zoro off guard. Sanji’s father Zeff always seemed very supportive…and what did he mean by brothers? But those questions would have to wait for another time, there was no way he would interrupt the blonde now. “I was convinced their opinion was the right one. I mean, it’s not like we were raised with any male omega or female alpha role models or anything. They were hidden away, not talked about…out of sight, out of mind you know? Not too mention as males we are told time after time that we are supposed to be strong, dominate, leaders…alphas. And that omegas are beautiful, feminine, fertile woman that we should strive to win over. After all that, could you even imagine possibly presenting as an omega?”

“No, I couldn’t.” Zoro answered honestly. No matter how understanding he might be, Sanji was right. No boy ever expects to present as an omega. It was something most males don’t even consider for a moment. So for it to actually happen…he couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“Which is something most can’t…not that it has been easy, but I have started to accept the idea more and more over the last few weeks. There have even been aspects I have allowed myself to enjoy…but there were a few truths I still refused to acknowledge, because frankly I didn’t want to. I was scared.”

“What were those?” Zoro asked, giving the blonde’s hand a tight squeeze when he felt him begin to tremble. 

“The idea that my omega instincts would cause me to be attracted to alphas, which are mostly male…and the idea that I could actually get pregnant like a woman…apparently I’m two for two…” He mumbled the last part, but Zoro still managed to catch it. He wanted to press further on what that exactly meant, but resisted the urge. He understood what a huge moment this was for the omega, not only in telling him about the baby, but maybe, just maybe, finally accepting himself as an omega. 

“The idea that there is something inside me, that a child is actually growing…it is beyond fucked up! And right after I presented if you had told me this was going to happen I would’ve freaked out, I wouldn’t have believed it, I would’ve rushed off to the nearest clinic and gotten it taken care of immediately…”

“Is that…it that your decision?” Zoro asked hesitantly, after the blonde stayed silent for a little too long. He had told the omega it was his decision, and he would stick by that no matter what…but a part of him shattered at the thought that he might actually decide not to keep it.

It was crazy, he was barely 18, and had no means or right to raise a child…yet the moment he had heard the word baby, he had beamed with pride, and all he wanted to do was protect it, to keep it and Sanji safe. He knew it wasn’t logical, and that most would think he was insane, but he couldn’t change how he was feeling. And how crippling the disappointment would be if this was indeed what Sanji decided. 

“Moron,” Sanji snorted, and couldn’t help but laugh. “The idea should make you relieved! You should be jumping for joy, gunshot wound aside...you shouldn’t look like you’re about to be sick.” 

“I’m sorry…you’re right. I might just need a moment.” Zoro took a deep breath, trying to push his personal feelings aside. He had to play it cool, he had to do it for Sanji.

“Shit Marimo, don’t hurt yourself,” Sanji chuckled once more. He had been so worried about this moment. He had been preparing himself to lose Zoro, to lose Zeff, to lose his friends and pack forever…yet this is what he was getting? God sure had a funny sense of humor. “I thought for sure you would turn your back on me in horror. Especially when you found out I planned on keeping it.”

“I understand…wait, what?” Zoro perked up, not quite sure he heard correctly.

“Despite all logic, I want to keep it. I can’t explain why, but it’s apart of me now and every instinct within me is screaming at me to protect it. To keep it safe no matter what. I don’t even know what I would do if something happened to it…I don’t know if I could handle it. Funny, huh? A few weeks ago I wouldn’t be able to handle it if I found out I was pregnant, now I wouldn’t be able to handle it if I found out I wasn’t. Pretty crazy right?”

“Yes, and no.” Zoro smiled, not able to keep one off of his face. “Because I want it as much as you do. I know we didn’t plan this…any of this…like at all. And I feel guilty about it all the time. Yet I have never been able to bring myself to regret it, at least not completely. So no matter what you might think, or what anybody might think, I want to be here for you, and for our pup.”

They both stayed quiet, both needing a few moments to absorb everything that was just said, and the gravity of what it all meant.

“What are we going to do Zoro?” Sanji asked after a while, truly looking at Zoro for the first time since this conversation started.

“I don’t know…but we’ll figure it out, together.” Zoro answered, holding the omega’s gaze. 

Sanji smiled, feeling an annoying stinging sensation behind his eyes. He couldn’t believe it. He really couldn’t. This conversation had gone way better than he could’ve imagined. It was as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, and that everything could only get better from here. It was perfect.

Well except for the fact that Zoro was still lying in a hospital bed, shot and one eye short, and that it was still his fault…and that he still didn’t know what was going to happen with Doflamingo, the man that had kidnapped him, tried to sell him, and hurt his friends…and that he could feel a fear and anxiety, one he was pretty sure wasn’t his own. And even though he wanted to go find Law to make sure the other pregnant omega was alright, he also couldn’t bring himself to leave Zoro’s side.

But other than that, it was perfect.

“It looks like someone is finally awake.” Came a new voice, as a blonde omega nurse walked into the room. “How are you feeling?” She asked cheerfully, completely unaware of the tension in the room and the important moment she had just interrupted. 

“Like I have been shot, and I’m missing an eye.” Zoro answered, not meaning it as a joke, but the nurse took it as one.

“I bet,” she giggled. Placing her hand on his arm, before giving it a tight squeeze and winking at him.

Wait…what? Was she…was she actually flirting with him? While he is lying in a hospital bed? With Sanji sitting right there? While he was literally still holding Zoro’s hand!!

“Your vitals are all looking good. You must be one strong alpha to be doing so well after everything you went through. I mean, saving those omegas from a crazed mugger like that.”

“Crazed mugger?” Zoro asked, clearly confused, only for his hand to receive a bone crushing squeeze. “Oh right! The mugger…” He had nearly forgotten that everything that happened at the Doflamingo pack house was meant to be kept a secret. But seriously? A mugger? Like he wouldn’t be able to handle a mugger…

“It must’ve been so scary.” The woman sighed, now twirling her long blonde hair with her pen. Seriously, it was like she was the living embodiment of a stereotypical nurse portrayed by trashy media. And did she really not notice Sanji, who was still sitting _right_ there.

“Sure…absolutely terrifying.” Zoro shrugged, already over this conversation. All he wanted to do was finish talking to Sanji, and then go to sleep. He might’ve just woken up after being out for 12 hours, but he was already absolutely exhausted. 

“I can’t even imagine! Those omegas were sure lucky that you happened to be around. I wish I had an alpha like you to keep me safe too.” She purred, leaning over slightly, so her cleavage was exposed. 

“Don’t we all.” Sanji gritted out, feeling his eye twitch in annoyance. He had been holding himself back from the moment she walked in the room…what he was holding himself back from, or why he was feeling that way, weren’t quite clear to him. All he knew was that if she didn’t leave soon, he wouldn’t be able to remain this calm for long.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.” She pretended to gasp, as if she really didn’t see him. She was dedicated, he would give her that.

“I bet…”

“But I’m afraid to say that visiting hours are over. Only family or mates are allowed to be here overnight.” She said, her tone almost mocking. And he didn’t miss the way she looked him up and down in disapproval. And she was supposed to be a professional? Why couldn’t she be like the sweet old nurse that was here last night when Zoro was first brought in…the 60-year-old, unthreatening, beta nurse…

“I realize that…but I was already given special permission last night from the hospital, not to mention Zoro’s father. I’m allowed to be here as long as I want, but thanks for your concern.” He smiled, not able to help the joy he felt when she glared at him. 

“Have you really been here the whole time?” Zoro interrupted, cutting off whatever snappy reply the nurse was about to give. He sounded surprised, and a little concerned. And apparently not sensing the tension that was currently burning between the two blonde omegas. 

“Well…maybe.” Sanji shrugged, receiving a disapproving look. 

“That’s not healthy Sanji! Not for you or our baby. You should really go home and get some rest sweetheart.” Or maybe he did sense the tension after all… 

No matter how embarrassing the comment might’ve been, he would happily accept it for the scandalized look that was now lighting up the nurse’s face. 

“I know, but I just couldn’t bare the idea of being away from you. Not until I knew you would be alright.” Sanji said, pretending to get choked up, as he inched his chair closer to the alpha. 

He sensed the other omega’s aura darkening, and he couldn’t help but smile. Seriously, when did he become such a sadist? Especially towards a woman…

“I’m sorry to worry you honey, but I would never leave you or our baby, I promise.”

“Oh Zoro!” Sanji cried, before carefully wrapping his arms around the alpha. He sighed, feeling himself involuntarily relax at the contact. He was only playing a part, at least that was what he told himself as he allowed the other teen’s scent to wash over him. 

“It’s okay sweetheart, I’m here.” He whispered into the blonde’s hair, before lifting his gaze to the still present nurse. “This is sort of a private moment. Could you please give me and my omega some space?”

“Of course,” the woman hissed, not even trying to hide her true feelings as she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. 

“Well she was a total bitch.” Zoro muttered, after a few moments, his arms still wrapped around the other teen. It was strange…it was as if a warmth was spreading throughout his entire body. He couldn’t quite explain why, but a part of him felt like he could lie there like this forever. He had to hide his disappointment when Sanji pulled away, sitting back down on his chair.

“No kidding,” Sanji snorted, making a mental note to talk to somebody, to make sure that nurse was no longer assigned to Zoro. 

“But…I wasn’t quite kidding when I said that you being here for so long wasn’t good for you or the baby. Did you seriously sleep in that chair?” 

“As a matter of fact, I didn’t.”

“Really?” Zoro asked, feeling somewhat relieved, when another thought crossed his mind. “It’s because you didn’t sleep, isn’t it?” The silence he received was all the answer he needed.

“What the hell Sanji! Why would you do that!?” He asked, coming across harsher than he meant to. His tone caused the blonde to flinch, and his words caused him to look away. Zoro waited for him to say something, to come up with some excuse, when the words Sanji had said when the nurse was there echoed in his mind. _I know, but I just couldn’t bare the idea of being away from you. Not until I knew you would be alright._ Maybe his words weren’t the only ones with some truth behind them. “I’m sorry…”

“If I was the one in the hospital bed, would you leave my side?” Sanji asked after a few moments. He was embarrassed to ask something like that out loud, but considering everything that had already happened, he didn’t care. He needed to justify himself. 

“No…probably not.” He sighed. He wanted to argue that it was different for him, that he wasn’t the pregnant one, but some how he didn’t think that comment would go over so well. “At least tell me you ate something.”

“Of course I did, I’m not a moron.” Sanji huffed, cringing internally at the memory of the hospital food. He seriously couldn’t wait to get home and make some real food. Between his time at the hospital and being held prisoner, he couldn’t even remember his last real meal. And whatever Pattie had made him try before he left the Baratie that night definitely didn’t count. Even though his nausea could now be explained because of his pregnancy, he still wasn’t convinced that he didn’t actually have food poisoning that night.

“Good.” Zoro yawned, before forcing himself to move as far over as he could. 

“What the hell are you doing?!” Sanji snapped, not missing the pain on the alpha’s face that the movement was causing.

“Making room…”

“For what!”

“For you.” Zoro rolled his eyes, patting the spot next to him once he was all of the way over. 

“I wonder why they didn’t mention the fact that you got brain damage?” 

“I’m serious cook. Get your bony ass over here right now.” Zoro sighed, rapidly losing any energy he had for this. “If your going to be stubborn and refuse to leave tonight, which I have a feeling you will, then you better at least try to make yourself comfortable.”

“I could accidently hit your stitches or something.”

“My injuries are on the left and you will be on my right. It’s fine. Just come on.”

Sanji sat there, his arms crossed, and his eyes narrowed as he tried to come up with another excuse not to, but he couldn’t deny the exhaustion his body felt. He had almost nodded off in the chair several times, but he hadn’t allowed himself to, wanting to be there when Zoro first woke up. Now that he was awake, maybe it would be okay if he just rested for a little while…and the bed _would_ be more comfortable than the chair. Especially considering he didn’t sleep last night, and that the night before that he slept in a cage. Not to mention the baby would probably appreciate a bed, at least that is what he told himself as he stood up, and carefully laid down next to the alpha. 

His body practically screamed with relief, and he could already feel his eye lids begin to grow heavy. The mattress itself wasn’t all that comfortable, yet he felt so safe and warm. Somehow, he felt like he was about to get the best sleep of his life. 

“Goodnight cook,” Zoro whispered, but knew his words weren’t heard. The blonde was already asleep, his breathing even and his face looking so peaceful. He looked so relaxed, so at ease…so beautiful.

If he ever said that out loud, he was positive it wouldn’t end well, but that didn’t make it any less true. Sanji really was beautiful, he had always secretly thought so, well before he even presented. But given everything they had been through recently, and finding out the blonde was carrying his child, that beauty only increased. 

He so badly wanted to touch his face, to stroke it, to kiss it, the feeling almost overwhelming, but he stopped himself. The omega needed his sleep and he wouldn’t risk disturbing it. He had no idea where these feelings were coming from, or what they meant, but decided he could address that issue another time. He instead took a deep breath, enjoying the comfort the blonde’s scent provided, allowing it to cradle him to sleep.

At some point during the night, the omega ended up with his face in the crook of the alpha’s neck, and the alpha’s arms securely wrapped around him. Neither of them would mention it when they woke up the next morning. 

…

“You wanted to see me chief.” Tashigi said, walking into the older alpha’s office. He was hunched over a pile of scattered files, his face buried in his hands, an aura of frustration surrounding him. So her instinct back at the Doflamingo pack house had been correct. Something was bothering the chief, and it wasn’t good. 

“You got that moron somewhere safe?” He asks, lifting his head up and motioning for her to take a seat. 

“Yeah. I dropped him off at the hospital where I knew the rest of his future pack was. And just before I left I saw his omega forcing him to get looked at. He should be fine.” Tashigi answered, taking the spot across the desk from the older alpha. She glanced down briefly to see what all the files were about, and her suspicion was confirmed. They were all about Doflamingo.

“And that friend of his? The one with the weird hair? I heard he was shot.”

“It was touch and go, but he is stable.” She answered, repeating the words she had heard from the others before she left. 

“Good. I wouldn’t want my idiot grandson getting any grand ideas of revenge.” Garp sighed, not seeming to look very relieved at the news. He stood up and began pacing the room. Clearly having a hard time gathering all of his thoughts. “How about the omegas that were rescued from the house? They were all taken to the hospital as well to be checked out, correct?”

“Yes. They are all being kept overnight for observation, but other than some minor dehydration, none of them seem to be physically harmed. The mental and emotional harm this event caused, however, is different. Many of them were being held prisoner for weeks…it is unlikely that they will never be able to get over his event, at least not completely.”

“That’s unfortunate, but understandable.” Garp couldn’t help but think about his former daughter-in-law, and what had happened to her all those years ago. The similarities between the cases had been striking, making this whole thing personal for him. He had lost a lot because of what happened back then, and he was going to make damn sure it didn’t happen again. Luffy could never find out. 

“What’s going to happen from here sir? Can we make the case?” Tashigi finally asked, snapping the older alpha out of his thoughts. He had a very distant and disturbed look on his face, but she knew better than to pry. There was a lot she didn’t know about the old man, a lot she was maybe better off not knowing. 

“It kills me to say it, but no, we don’t.” Garp growled, slamming his fist down on his desk as he sat back down. “The bastard had all his bases covered. Not even the intel we received from our undercover agent, who was killed in action months ago, is enough.”

“How can that be? We found the omegas in his pack house! He had massive human sized cages in several rooms. How can he possibly argue his way out of that? What…did the omegas sneak into his house, lock themselves in the cages, and all the while he had no knowledge of it? This is insane!”

“I know. Trust me, I know. But like I said, the man had all of his bases covered. It appears when the pack battle started, he was suspicious of the real reason behind it, so he had some of his men stay behind and completely destroy any evidence that might link him to his many illegal activities. There were the remnants of several fires, meaning that evidence is gone forever. As for the omegas being found in his house…apparently he had been taking several ‘business trips’ over the last few weeks, giving him an alibi for almost all of the kidnappings. And because of his influence over his minions, several of them were willing to come forward and confess to the fact that they were the ones that kidnapped the omegas and held them captive. And that their head alpha had no idea, since he was away on business so much.”

“That is such bullshit!” Tashigi hissed, feeling her blood boiling. The idea that a monster like Doflamingo, who had hurt so many people, could actually get away with it, was beyond infuriating. 

“Like I said, I know. All of that, mixed with the fact that most of the omegas said that they wouldn’t testify, and the widespread fear that Doflamingo still holds, and things aren’t looking so great for us.”

“What about the fact that he shot Zoro, and tried to kill Luffy? Surely we can charge him for that! There were witnesses and everything!”

“He can easily argue self-defence for whatever happened between him and Luffy. As for shooting the kid…we might be able to use that to buy us some time, but even that is unlikely to stick.”

“How so?” Tashigi asked, completely confused. She knew she had nothing on them before the raid of the Doflamingo pack house, but after everything that happened she was so sure that they had him. That there was no way they could lose. How could everything be falling so easily?

“He can probably argue self-defence again, and the only two witnesses to testify otherwise are Sanji, and this Trafalgar Law, correct?” He asked, reading the names off the report that the female alpha had submitted earlier. 

“Correct.”

“I don’t know Law personally, but I know he was involved with Rosinante. Which means it can easily be argued that he is bias and out for revenge. And as for Sanji, it says here that the two share an omega bond?”

“Yes…at least that is the theory. I have no confirmation on that.”

“Well if that turns out to be the case, then the defence will be able to use the same argument. That Sanji is only saying these things to protect his bonded omega and help him get revenge. And as much as I hate to say it…they are two pregnant male omegas…it is unlikely that anyone will take them seriously.”

Tashigi stayed silent after that, hating how true it really was. Most of the time those who presented against the odds were seen as freaks, as jokes, as something to be ashamed of. It was a hard life, and unfortunately very few were able to defy the odds and make something of themselves. Even she struggled for years to get where she was, almost giving up several times along the way. And despite what she had accomplished, many of her colleagues still didn’t take her seriously. She could only imagine what a jury would think of two male omegas taking the stand…not only two male omegas, but two pregnant male omegas. They would likely look at them as some sort of sideshow, rather than as serious witnesses, and dismiss them before they even heard what they had to say. It was sad, but true.

“I’m still going to go forward and press the charges, taking it to court. It might be unlikely that we win, but at least we will buy ourselves a few weeks in the meantime, with Doflamingo behind bars while he awaits trial. And then hopefully, by some miracle, we can find some irrefutable evidence and nail the bastard before he gets out.” 

She nodded in understanding. It certainly wasn’t the ideal situation, but at least it got that bastard off of the streets in the meantime. She just prayed that they would find whatever it was that they were looking for.

“I will still need Sanji and Law to testify. It might be futile, but we likely won’t even be able to take this to trial if we don’t have that much. And any of the omegas that actually saw Doflamingo, and who are willing to testify, would be a huge asset as well.” 

A particular strong-willed omega came to mind. She knew for a fact that she had seen Doflamingo, and given her personality, there was no way she wouldn’t want to testify. She just hated the idea that her testifying could possibly make her a target if Doflamingo got out. Which was all the more motivation to make sure that didn’t happen.

“I want you to talk to Sanji and Law and inform them on what’s going on. I would also like you to talk to all of the omegas again, and gather up as many as you can that are willing to testify. After that is done, I would like you to stay as close to them as possible and keep them safe. It is likely that anyone who is willing to testify could become a target. Even though Doflamingo and all of his men are behind bars at the moment, that son of a bitch still has a lot of ‘friends’ out there who could lose out on a lot if he doesn’t walk. And it is possible they are willing to kill to see that happen. Which is why I am leaving you in charge of the omegas safety. Right now it is hard to know who to trust, but there is no one I trust as much as you.” 

“Sir…I don’t know what to say.” Tashigi muttered, stunned by the older alpha’s words. She had no idea he felt that way.

“Don’t look so shocked,” Garp chuckled, placing his hand on the she-alpha’s shoulder. “Nobody has worked as hard as you to get here. Nobody has proven themselves more than you have. Nobody has earned my trust like you.” And he meant it. There is always some level of corruption on the force, as sad as it is to say. Certain individuals using their power into bullying others to get what they want, others caving in under threats, bribes, and blackmail. Decades ago, when he was first starting out, he had found out his own partner was dirty, but not until he had served with him for years. 

So as much as he would like to think that those who choose to dedicate their lives to protecting and helping others are all righteous individuals, he was no fool. But there was something he saw in Tashigi, something that set her apart. Something that reminded him of himself when he was young.

“Depending on how many omegas you are able to get to testify, you might need more officers to help in their protection. I recommend Colby and Helmeppo…if you need anymore than that, then use your own discretion.”

“Understood sir.” Tashigi said saluting the chief. They exchanged a few more words before she was dismissed, having received all of her orders. 

Unfortunately, what she learned from Chief Garp is exactly what she had been afraid of. Rich, powerful, alphas like Doflamingo rarely ever paid for their crimes. It was a sad truth, but it was the reality of the world they lived in. But even if he walked free, she would continue to fight and do her part no matter the consequences. And if her part right now was to keep the omegas safe, then she would give her life to do that. She would prove worthy of the trust the chief put in her. 

But first things first, she had to go and have a lot of conversations, with a lot of omegas. And she knew just the omega she wanted to start with. She had been the most helpful when evacuating the others from the pack house, it was only fair that she started with her. A hint of a smile tugged at her lips as she left the station, making her way back to the hospital.

…

The air in the room was thick, the tension almost visible. He had no idea why he was called here, and frankly would prefer to be anywhere else. But he knew better than to ignore a call from this alpha. No matter how high up he might be on the food chain, he was nothing compared to her. 

“To what do I owe this pleasure, Madame Charlotte?” He began, being a polite as he could. The woman before him had many different moods, and you could never be too careful when beginning a conversation with her. Say the wrong thing on the wrong day, and it could be the last thing you do. Even some of her own children fell victim to her wrath. She truly was a monster. 

“That damned fool Joker got himself locked up.” The large woman hissed, crushing the tiny tea cup in her chubby hand into a million pieces. “Which means he won’t be able to deliver what he promised.”

“I am truly sorry to hear that. I never trusted that Joker myself.”

“Are you saying I was a fool to trust him?” The woman asked, her tone far too calm, it was beyond unsettling.

“Of course not. I would never imply such a thing! I just meant that that bastard should pay for letting you down! Please forgive my poor choice of words!” He begged, bowing his head deeply in apology. It was humiliating that he, an alpha, had to stoop to such levels, but his survival instincts outweighed his pride.

“Raise your head.” She said, causing him to sigh with relief. It was common knowledge that the woman could be downright terrifying in a rage, but she could be even more terrifying when she was calm and in complete control. He needed to be careful. 

“I apologies again Madame. And if there is anything at all I can do for you, then I am all to happy to oblige.”

“Good. Because rumor has it you have access to what I want. What Joker can no longer give me.”

“Of course. Just tell me what it is, and it’s yours.” He said, and he meant it. He would literally give her his right arm right then and there if it meant keeping her happy. 

“I am so happy to hear you say that Judge. My darling daughter was so disappointed when she heard the news about Joker, but she will be so happy when she hears I found her another one.”

“Another what?” Judge asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. 

“Another male omega of course, to be her mate. And if my sources are correct, one of your sons presented as one. Is that correct?”

The way she asked the question, the way she was looking at him now…she already knew the answer, it would be foolish to even think about lying. 

“That is correct.”

“Wonderful, then it’s a deal.” A sickening smile spread across the woman’s face, indicating that any further discussion on the matter was over. “I know he won’t be 18 for another 6 weeks, so the wedding won’t be held until then. Though I do hope they can meet at least a few times before then.”

“O-of course.”

“Excellent! We will hold a tea party in exactly one month to celebrate their engagement! We will have lots of cakes and pies and sweets, it will be a glorious event! All you have to do is make sure he is ready to go by then…I will not disappoint my daughter again. Is that understood?”

“Of course. I can’t wait to give my son the happy news.” Judge smiled, or at least he hoped whatever forced expression on his face looked like a smile. 

After a few more awkward minutes of small talk, he was finally granted permission to leave. Inhaling the fresh air greedily after escaping that suffocating scent that had overwhelmed the room. This definitely wasn’t the conversation he thought he would be having when Big Mom first summoned him there. But maybe, just maybe, he would be able to use this situation to his advantage. Get more out of the deal than just ridding himself of his omega son. 

Finding Sanji wouldn’t be a problem. He had always kept close tabs on him just in case. The problem would be some of the people he associated with. He had kept a close eye on them as well, and knew some of them weren’t to be taken lightly. But when the alternative was Big Mom, he was willing to take that risk. And who knows…Sanji might not even mind the idea of marrying a female alpha. He would always talk about his ‘beautiful future wife’ after all. But some how he doubted that. 

“I’m not a complete monster though,” he thought out loud, as he drove back to his estate. “As my wedding gift to you, I will wait until just before the tea party to come and get you. Enjoy your last month of freedom, my son.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the beginning of the next major arc is introduced. Though technically we still have some stuff from the previous arc to wrap up first. What are your thoughts? Did you see that coming? I have a feeling most of you did, haha. Anyway I would love to hear any opinions and answer any questions you might have! But before I wrap up this author's note completely, there are a few little details I just wanted to mention. I didn't get a chance to address everything in the chapter itself, so I want to clarify a few things.
> 
> 1\. Even though I portrayed a nurse in an unflattering way, I want to make it clear that is not how I view them. I actually spent a semester studying to be a nurse before I changed my mind, so I know how much dedication and effort it takes to get into the profession. It is unfair how often the media portrays them as 'sex objects' or as nothing more than the doctor's assistant. So even though I portrayed that stereotype I want to make my real views clear to an potential nurses out there that could be reading this. 
> 
> 2\. A lot of the legal stuff I said probably makes no sense, but bare with me, haha. I am no policemen or lawyer, so the majority of the legal stuff I write is going to be pure fiction. But everything I am writing is pure fiction anyway, so it's all good :D
> 
> 3\. Some of you might be thinking, aww what about poor Law? I know that was a thought that crossed my mind as I was writing this. Because I left the last chapter off with Law waiting for Sanji to make sure he was okay, and then I start off this chapter by saying that Sanji has been by Zoro's side for over 12 hours, and then he goes and falls asleep for the night. But don't worry, Law didn't spend the last 24 hours waiting or anything. At a certain point Nami and the others convinced Law to go back to the pack house with them and get some rest. I picture him going into the room and saying goodbye to Sanji before he left. And Sanji would apologies to him and promise him they would talk as soon as Zoro was going a little better. Just wanted to say that, so no one thinks I am cruel and left Law in the waiting room all this time.
> 
> 4\. If any of you are wondering why Big Mom would suggest a marriage. I haven't really talked about marriages, only bondings and claimings. Marriages still exist. It is something bonded couples usually do to legally solidify their bond. It is also something non-bonded couples can do to be legally tied to each other, but not be physically tied. Something like that might be used for couples who are religious and wanted to wait until marriage to mate. Asexuality also still exists in this world, so there might be couples that want to be together, but don't mate or bond physically. Anyway, I think I mentioned in a previous chapter that omegas can be force claimed but not force bonded. So therefore, Big Mom's thought process is that she wants Sanji to be legally tied to her daughter, even if he doesn't consent to bond with her. That way it is more difficult for Sanji to leave her daughter, and there is a higher chance that he will eventually be worn down and consent to a bond. That is the gist of it anyway.
> 
> Sorry for the incredibly long end note, I just felt those things needed to be clarified. Thank you again for reading, and hopefully I will be talking to you again soon!!


	33. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So remember when I answered comments and said the chapter should be up within the week? What I meant was month, haha.
> 
> But seriously, I am very sorry for the wait. There is a long string of reasons I have, but I don't actually have the time to type them all out right now, I'm on a fairly tight schedule. 
> 
> And unfortunately this chapter isn't actually the full chapter I intended. This was more like half of what I was planning. But I found myself stuck and I am having a hard time pushing past a certain part. So instead of keeping you waiting another couple of weeks I decided to just post what I have. It is on the shorter side, and after waiting months I know it isn't anything exciting. But at least it is something. And I am really trying to do better. I'm hopeful that I will be able to get more to you soon.
> 
> So I do apologize again. And even though this isn't much, hopefully you still enjoy.

“I still don’t know why you talked me into this…” Law muttered, scowling at the outdated magazines that scattered the cheap IKEA table. The walls were an off white, covered in cheesy medical ads, and a row of identical chairs lined the perimeter of the room. It was literally the most cliché doctor’s office he had ever seen in his life, and the fact that he was currently sitting in it both frustrated and terrified him.

“You know why.” Nami said from the seat next to him, trying to place a hand on his shoulder in comfort, only to have him flinch away from it. He instantly felt bad for his reaction, knowing it was unfounded, but only received a smile from the younger omega in understanding. “It’s okay, really.”

“Hey look!” A far too loud voice interrupted from across the room before Law could respond. “Now I look just like Traffy and Sanji!” Luffy snickered, prancing around the waiting room with some sort of padding underneath his shirt. Despite how offensive one could take that, Law couldn’t help but laugh, the mortified look on the red-haired omegas face was priceless.

“Put that back and sit down!” Nami hissed, after getting over the initial shock of the sight. “What if somebody else saw you!? You could seriously piss somebody off!”

“Luckily the male pregnancy business isn’t booming…” Law muttered, looking around the large empty waiting room. How a private practice could stay in business with such a specific specialization was beyond him. But according to Robin, who had done all the research, this place was the best. And after a week of refusing, being in denial, he was finally dragged here by Nami and Sanji, who was currently being checked out himself. 

He knew logically that this was for the best. He was a doctor after all, he knew how delicate pregnancies, especially males ones could be. But he was also absolutely terrified. What if something was wrong? What if the fall he took caused irreversible damage? What if he lost his and Rosinante’s baby because of this? He still felt the child moving within him, so they were still with him for now, but he wasn’t naïve enough to think that that meant everything was fine. 

“Hey Traffy, do you know if it’s going to be a boy or a girl?” Luffy asked, snapping him out of his thoughts, plopping down on the floor in front of Nami and him, thankfully having lost the padding under his shirt. The young alpha had a big goofy grin on his face, and a very calming aura surrounding him. It was likely that he smelled his distress and knowing without Sanji here that he would need a distraction. His perception and bouts of maturity never ceased to amaze him…especially considering that he had literally seen him get his head stuck in a cookie jar a couple days ago…

“I don’t know for sure yet.” Law said, his hand absently travelling to his stomach as he spoke. “Doflamingo took me shortly after I found out I was pregnant. And despite how well stocked the infirmary was at the pack house, there was no ultrasound machine, so I was never able to find out. Though I do have a gut feeling…”

“What is it?! What is it?!” Luffy chanted excitedly. “I bet you it’s a boy! Then I could teach him to kick ass! OR, I bet it could also be a girl! In which case I could teach her how to kick ass!”

“And I’m guessing at least one of your guesses is correct…” Nami said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, but her affection for her alpha never left her face. 

Law just shook his head, smiling sadly. The alpha’s enthusiasm was infectious, but hearing him talk about his child, as if he and it were going to be around for years, was still a little startling. Sure he had no where else to go at the moment, and sure he shared an unbreakable bond with Sanji, but it still didn’t make sense to him how everybody else could accept him so easily. Lord knows he hasn’t given them any reason to. 

The first day at the pack house he had remained locked in his room all day and night, too on edge to be around the others, especially with Sanji still at the hospital. The day after that, the female alpha detective had come over to the pack house and explained to everybody what was happening with the case. Law was horrified to find out that that monster might actually walk free. He had hurt so many people, he might not have pulled the trigger himself but he was responsible for Rosinante’s death, and he had almost killed him and his unborn child. And because of how biased and corrupt the justice system was he might actually walk because of a few flimsy, obvious, lies. It was sickening. And on top of everything, he was told he would have to testify. He would have to sit in front of a room full of people while the defence attorney ripped him apart, and the jury silently judged him for his designation. 

The whole thing had been overwhelming. He nearly had a full-blown omega meltdown, nobody in the house could get through to him. Luckily Sanji had felt his distress and had come back from the hospital. Being reunited had instantly calmed him down, the warmth and strength of the bond instantly taking effect. The next few days after that were spent together, almost in constant contact with each other. The sheer draw of the bond had been so intense, that it began to get a little frightening. His chest ached even now, the 20 minutes since Sanji had been called in for his check up was the longest they had been apart in days. But apparently, according to ‘Robin-pedia’, an omega bond needed at least a few days to finish forming before it began to settle down. Which they were both relieved to hear and more than looking forward to. As much as they enjoyed the comfort the bond created, missing each other when one of them went to the bathroom was getting a little ridiculous. 

But either way, other than Sanji, he had hardly talked to anyone. Which made their warm response to him even more confusing. Other than Rosinante, hardly anyone had ever given him the time of day, and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, there was a house full of people that seemed to have nothing but kindness and respect for him. It was honestly a little unsettling, and he was still struggling to adjust to it. 

“I have a feeling that she’s a girl.” Law finally muttered, when he realized that both Luffy and Nami were still staring at him with wide-eyed anticipation. “But I guess I will find out today for sure.”

“She will kick so much ass!” Luffy cheered.

“She will only kick ass if she wants to!” Nami sighed. “But it would be nice to have another girl around. The boys are out numbering us by almost double right now.”

Before Law could respond to either teen, the exam room door opened, and a very red, embarrassed looking Sanji walked out. He stayed silent until he was seated next to Law, gladly taking his hand when it was offered in support. 

“That was, by far, the most humiliating, violating thing I have ever experienced. And considering how I got pregnant in the first place, that’s saying something.” He finally said, after taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

“It was standard procedure, don’t be such a baby.” A new voice spoke, earning everyone in the rooms attention. Standing by the exam room door was an old beta woman, and a young un-presented boy. The woman honestly looked like she could be pushing 100, yet she had a youthful air about her, and she was wearing a belly shirt underneath her lab coat. The boy was young, no more than 14 or 15, though the shaggy brown hair he had in his face made it hard to tell. 

“But you had your fingers in my…” Sanji hissed, not able to bring himself to finish that sentence. 

“Well of course. I had to make sure your birth canal was developing properly. The parts necessary for a male omega to conceive and birth a child don’t start developing until around the time they present, so therefore, getting pregnant during their first heat can cause serious complications with the pregnancy. But don’t worry kid, your birth canal is developing beautifully. It should be fully functional by the time you’re ready to crap that kid out.”

“Oh. My. God!” Sanji breathed out, absolutely horrified. His body burned with embarrassment, to the point that he was surprised that he didn’t burst into flames. For the first time that week Sanji was glad that Zoro was still in the hospital and couldn’t be here to hear this. “Are we sure this woman is even a real doctor?!”

“I’ve been practicing medicine before your parents were even born.” The old woman cackled.

“Exactly…shouldn’t there be an age limit for this, you old quack!”

“Doctor Kureha isn’t a quack! She is one of the greatest doctor that ever lived!” The young boy snapped, raising his head as he spoke, giving the people in the room a clear view of his face for the first time. Despite the anger currently painted across his face, they could see his features were soft, and his large brown eyes full of innocence. He might’ve even have been younger than they had initially thought. 

“It’s okay Chopper. The boy is just embarrassed. My guess is that he’s not use to such a beautiful woman touching him.” Doctor Kureha cackled again, seeing the red that was starting to fade from the blonde’s face reignite. 

“Yeah right you old h…”

“Maybe you should think about what you say next, especially if she is going to be your doctor for the next seven and a half months.” Law suggested, stopping Sanji before he could finish his sentence.

“Why can’t you just be my doctor.” Sanji whined, clearly pouting. Which Law couldn’t help but find enduring. He shook his head and gave Sanji a sad smile.

“Because I don’t have access to the equipment I need, nor did I specialize obstetrics. Besides, Robin did say she was the best, and given what I have learned about that woman, I doubt she is wrong.”

“Your right…” Sanji sighed, his embarrassment and annoyance seeming to diminish once he accepted his fate. 

“So you’re a doctor huh?” The beta woman said. “Doctors always make the worst patients…this should be interesting.” And with that, she turned and disappeared back into the exam room. The young boy following close behind her.

“Well I guess that’s my que…” Law mumbled, all the fear and anxiety he had felt earlier coming crashing back. His one hand ghosted across his stomach, while the other was tightly squeezed by his bonded omega. 

“It’s going to be okay.” Sanji whispered, releasing some calming scent (an ability he really began to master over the past week). “You both will be fine.”

“Yeah…you’re right.” Law said, trying to sound as confident as he could as he stood up. He attempted to force a smile on his face, but no one, not even Luffy, was buying it. 

Once Law disappeared behind the exam room door, Sanji let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. His concern and protective instincts were on fire, and it took everything he had in order to stay seated. 

“He’ll be okay. I promise.” Luffy said, not a hint of doubt or hesitation in his voice. Despite knowing that there was no way the alpha could possibly know that, hearing Luffy say it strangely made him feel better. “Now why don’t we text Zoro that the exam went well, and that your birth canal is developing beautifully?”

“I’m sorry Nami.”

“About what?”

“I’m going to have to kill your mate.”

"Oh, okay."

Sanji was in the middle of throttling his head alpha, when he was overwhelmed by an intense, gut-wrenching fear that nearly brought to his knees. A fear that wasn't his own.

"Law..." He breathed out, before bolting over to the exam room, ignoring Nami and Luffy's calls. His bonded omega needed him, and he needed him now. He dreaded to learn what this fear meant for the other omega and his baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it. I hope you enjoyed, and that it wasn't too disappointing after having to wait for so long. I'm hopeful I will be able to get more to you soon.


End file.
